Branching out to New Products

Good afternoon lovies!!! I hope you are having a fabulous day so far.

I did make it until 11:30 last night - then I was knocked out so fast! I noticed the other day I had some questions on my comments and wanted to address them really quick.

How do you find living with your folks? I don't mind it too much. I get along great with Mommasita, so we never have any problems there. We always say if we only had to live and cook for each other, life would be a piece of cake. :) It is hard from time to time because I am an adult, and sometimes the parental units can forget that. However, I do not pay rent, they pay for my groceries, and put a roof over my head. I find because they have been so graceful to let me live here while FH and I saved up money for our home and through renovating it that I should be respectful and follow their rules. It is only fair!

Now that you are "off" for the summer, how do you find your daily and morning routine different from when you teach during the school year? I am a lot less tired - haha. I go to bed later, but tend to wake up still around 6 or 6:30 in the morning no matter what. During the school year, I get up around 5. My breakfasts are the same, just at different times. I am able to eat more throughout the day as I please, which I love :) During the school year, I run after school with friends. During the summer, I run mid-morning after my food digests. This summer is a little different with planning the wedding and renovating the house, but I have a loooot of free time to cook and bake, which I do not have time for during the school year most times. I love being a teacher - I could never imagine doing anything different. I also cannot believe some people have to work during the summer - YUCK!

I started my morning off right with a bowl of whipped banana oats! These were a little dry, probably because the banana was not as ripe as I usually like. This was topped with cinnamon, flax, bloobs, and peanut butter. Yum!

Why yes! That is my new breakfast mug from Allie. Thanks for noticing!

dry, but delicious

I don't even care that you think this looks disgusting. I know how good it tasted going down into my belly.

After breakfast, I did some blog surfing - then I had to head off to Trader Joe's to get more eggs for make another meatloaf. However, when I got home, I realized I still had one more egg in the fridge which is all I needed as I was cutting the recipe in half. RAWR!

However, I was more than okay with this because I picked up a few things I absolutely needed in order for my existence to continue.

Enter in: Apple Pie Lara Bar

Can you believe I have never had one before?

I am now a believer in LaraBars - this was great. I am not at all ashamed of the fact that I ate this at 8:15 in the morning right after my breakfast. Sometimes, a girl just has to do what a girl just has to do!

The bar was soft, chewy, and really did taste like an apple pie. I usually go for bars that have the crunch factor, but I can imagine this would be absolutely delicious if frozen for a while. In fact, I just left my computer to go put one in the freezer. :)

Also neccessary: Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed Butter

I haven't tried it yet, but probably will have some with my nighttime snack. I have never had sunflower seed butter before, but I am sure (just like all other nut butters) I will enjoy it immensely. I love looking forward to something new!

After making my padre his other meatloaf, I set the kids up in the sprinkler outside. They had fun, and I got a little sun - I know, I should be a poet. When we were good an hungry, I brought them inside for some lunch. PB&J was on the menu for them, leftovers were on the menu for me.

salad, carrots, hummus, leftover tofu

Can you even believe that after 4 days I have gotten the kids into a routine of having "rest time" after lunch? They are peacefully watching Enchanted right now on the TV so Auntie Chelsey can have alone time. LOVE IT!!!

Question: What food product have you recently tried that you love? What do you want to try soon that you have been meaning to?

sleep deprivation is taking over my life

... Starting with this here table.

This table has been living in our basement for as long as I can remember. As a child, I stuffed many food wrappers under it in hopes that my parents would not find them (was I stupid or something?) - I was too lazy to walk to the garbage can 5 feet away. Get over it, I was 10.

My mother decided at 6:30 this morning when I was sleeping (in the basement, might I add - my room is a stinking sauna in the summertime) that she really wanted to get rid of this table. I suppose it was my fault for moving a pinky because she in turn thought I was wide awake and ready to get my day in gear. My mother so sweetly asked me to help her carry this very light (insert sarcasm here) table up the stairs and out to the street for the garbage man to take away. This table would have been hard to carry at 3 in the afternoon, let alone groggy and weak from not getting enough sleep. HOLY COW! I was sweating and panting and my head was pounding. I also do not understand why the two men in my family were not ever available to complete this daunting task. Come on! Thanks Mom - you made me love my life this morning.

With my strength training done for the day, I decided to move onto bigger and better things: overnight oats in MY NEW BREAKFAST MUG FROM ALLIE.

1/3 cup oats, 1/2 naner, flax, cinnamon, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup almond milk. topped with bloobs and pb

isn't this the most beautious (is that even a word?) mug you have ever seen? Thanks Allie!!!

I told you all a while ago I would show you an updated picture of my basil and tomato plants. They are getting so big! I had to send an email to the mother of my student who gave it to me today. It was an ongoing joke throughout the school year that I killed any plant my students gave me. I would leave the plants over breaks, forget to water them over the weekends, accidently knock them over and the plant would fly everywhere. I am so proud I have not killed this plant yet that I just had to email her to give her an updated picture and report on how well her plants are doing. Not to mention I use the basil every day! I love fresh basil!

Speaking of basil, lunch was a tomato and basil quinoa salad inspired by Diana. I made some changes - substituting the millet for quinoa and omitting the chickpeas. This was so nice and refreshing on such a hot summer day. I love cold salads - I will definitely be making this again!

big bowl of tomato basil and quinoa salad (times this bowl by 2)- do you see my hummus and zucchini slices hiding out in the back?

some people may think quinoa looks weird when cooked - i think it looks so cool!

I tried to get the kids to eat this, but they were not having it. I caved and made them pb&j.

The kids and I had a great day - we spend the morning in my aunt's spa, had lunch, took a snooze, and then went to the library this afternoon. I signed them up for the summer reading program and they are so excited! We were at the library for almost 2 hours looking at books and playing games on the computer. It was a nice break, and their teacher aunt is oh so happy they are reading in the summer!!!

I then had to run some errands after I dropped them off with BIL, and on the way I saw a rainbow!

you have to look really close. I swear there is a rainbow.

When I got home I was in need of some grub - grilled sweet potato rounds were on the menu tonight.

don't judge me by the massive amounts of ketchup I use every day

along side was a huuuuge salad!!!

When I was done with dinner, all I wanted to do was read this:

and lay in this:

sorry for the messy made bed - an 8 yr old took a nap in it today :)

but mommasita wanted to go to the grocery store. Who am I to turn down a trip to the store? I mustered up enough energy to accompany her and get some essentials, but really all I want to do is sleep. I... am.... exhausted....

But, before I go, I must leave you with this video clip that Megan told me about. This was inspired by the serving size comments from the past couple of days.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post - I am having an EPIC breakfast tomorrow!!! I am so excited!

Question: How are your sleeping habits? Are you a light sleeper? A heavy sleeper? Do you get about the same amount every night? How do you cope when you are exhausted?

Truth: I forgot a title and added one after this was published.

Thanks for the great comments yesterday! I am so glad you all liked my post last night - I guess I can be creative sometimes. Most of the time, however, I am too lazy....

I got up waaay too early for not getting much sleep this past weekend. I had too many things to accomplish before 9:30 when my babysitting duties started. I had to drag myself out of bed at 6:30 this morning. I won't lie, I walked into my wall... twice. I also walked into the corner of my bed .... that baby hurts! I was NOT excited to be awake at that moment (probably because i was up until after midnight catching up with all the blogs from the past weekend) However, I was very excited to finally eat breakfast at home! I love my morning routine, and I can't stand when it's messed with.

typical whipped banana oats, topped with cinnamon, raisins, and pb

I loooooooooooooooved my breakfast. Maybe it was just because I was so excited to finally be at home, in my chair, reading blogs, and watching The Today Show (at 7). Maybe it was because whipped banana oats are delicious. Maybe it was because the raisins warmed up through the oats and "popped" in my mouth. Whatever it was, I loved it.

I went to the gym to do my weight training session around 8, then headed home at about 9:15 to shower and get ready for the day. My lovely niece and nephew were dropped off at 9:30 (yes, I instantly became a full time babysitter). They were not very thrilled, but we had a lot of errands to run.

I love children. I'm a teacher. They're fun. Guess what. Kids are not so much fun while shopping. Please picture hands flying, kids screaming "Aunt Chelsey I want this!""No, I don't want to go!""Hmmmph you're mean!" all the while, dragging a 6 year old out of Home Depot pouting, yelling at a child in front of many strangers you don't know.... oh man. Don't worry folks - FH and I will be waiting to have children for a long long time. No matter what, I do love these two. They kept me on my toes.

After two short (insert sarcasm here) hours of running errands, I came home to find a package on my doorstep addressed to me. Intrigued, I began to take pictures of the mysterious white box.

what is inside?

a present from Allie!!!


I can't even believe I was patient enough to take pictures

BREAKFAST MUG OF CHAMPION!!!

Allie is such a doll. Last week I commented on how much I loved the breakfast mug she was using for one of her glorious breakfast creations. She quickly emailed me asking me if I would like to receive an early wedding present (24 days... eeeek!!!). I, being the polite bloggie friend, responded YES - My momma always taught me to graciously accept (and give) gifts. :) This baby can be found here. It is such a great breakfast mug! Just one more reason to look forward to breakfast tomorrow.


I then made lunch for the rugrats - I was surprised at how easy it was to get them to eat healthfully. I really do believe that children will eat what is given to them, healthy or not. I am a firm believer in "tough love". I don't think children should be given the opportunity to make some decisions for themselves until they are at an older age. One of these decisions includes food. Sure, kids should be able to choose between different foods (grilled cheese or pb&j?), but the choices should be limited and healthy.

enjoying a salad (yes, she asked for one!!), and grapes - enjoying grilled cheese, cukes, and grapes. This boy downed the grapes like you would not believe!!!

I was so worried about getting the food on the table for them that I forgot to take a picture of mine! Don't worry, you're not missing much. Standard salad topped with hummus with zucchini, crackers, hummus, and grapes on the side. Lauren's fun fact from comments yesterday said:

Fact: the serving size on the tub of hummus is 2 tbsp
Opinion: the serving size on the tub of hummus is stupid.

BAHAHAHAH! I could not agree more! 2 TBSP? Pleeeeease!!! I don't even know what 2 TBSP looks like. What's a serving size again? I kind of just eat it until I get full.

Up next... the park! Despite the moderately scorching weather, we braved the Chicago humidity and walked to the park down the street. Yes, whining did occur, but I made them stick it out and play outside!

they're such hams

I cozied up with a great book and supervised the play time. This book is awesome. I am almost done with it and I started it yesterday. Anna Quindlen is a great fiction author - easy reads, but great stories.

oh, hello engagement ring! i love the way you sparkle in the sun!!

After my sister relieved me from my duties, I ran a few more errands (as if I didn't do enough of that this morning). I visisted my friend Mandi who is due to have her baby tomorrow! I am holding out for tomorrow, but she thinks she is going to fly right through it! I think it would be so cool though. Her mom's birthday is July 7, her birthday is July 7, and she is due to have her baby on July 7. Do you share a birthday with a family member? My dad and I share the same birthday - it has always been pretty cool!

I also went to the store to pick up a few essentials!

tip: when buying bananas, get 2 bunches. a green bunch, and a yellow bunch. the green bunch will be ready to eat when the others are gone! (those bloobs are going to be delicious in my oatmeal tomorrow)

not one, but TWO coupons for Silk Almond Milk!

I had to get rid of some veggies before they went bad, so tonight's dinner is something I call Operation Clean Out the Fridge. I love these dinners so much - they always turn out so yummy! It's one of my favorite things to throw a whole bunch of stuff in a skillet and call it dinner.

In the skillet went: onion, garlic, pepper, zucchini, brussel sprouts, chick peas, stewed tomatoes.
On the side: sauteed spinach and garlic

Absolutely delicious. The skillets were filled to the brim and mommasita and I dominated the thing! Is it bad to say I want more? Unfortunately it is gone, but that doesn't mean I can't have a snack (or two) ((or three)) before bed tonight. I think it's going to be an early one due to my eyelids already closing on me at 8:45.

Pathetic? I'm okay with it.

Question: What is a meal you have made that turned out far better than you could have ever imagined?

fact and opinion

Definitions:

Fact: something that is true; reality; something that exists

Opinion: a personal view, attitude, or appraisal

Fact: I have spent 31 hours in the car over the last 4 days, and I have driven 1910.23 miles on my road trip to Savannah.

Opinion: That is way too long to be in the car over the course of 4 days.

Fact: The Monteagle grade mountain range is en route to Savannah.





Fact: Mommasita attempted to take a picture with the mountains behind me. Epic fail.





Opinion: The mountains in Tennessee are the most stunning portion of the drive.






Fact: Coffee is a caffeinated beverage.




Opinion: Coffee is most enjoyed after driving from Chicago to Savannah straight through the night.





Fact: I brought all of my daily essential eats with me on my trip.





Opinion: Although this was a HIGHLY reccomended call on my part (especially if you have allergies, food intolerances), oatmeal is most enjoyed at home reading blogs instead of in a hotel lobby.



Fact: This almond milk comes in juice box size.




Opinion: While great for traveling, it was much too sweet for my liking.





Fact: Justin's nut butters come in fun squeeze pack sizes

Opinion: Read the caution statement above - I agree.

Fact: Cashews and raisins are healthful food choices.

Opinion: It is okay to have gone through both of these bags within four days.

Fact: The Old Savannah Cotton Exchange building was completed in 1887 and was designed by William Gibbons Preston

Opinion: I think many pirates fell down these steep paths.

Fact: Bay Street is located along the river and was a marketplace for many merchants in the eighteenth and nineteenth century.

Opinion: Those cobblestone roads must have hurt riding in a carraige.

Fact: Fiddler's Crabhouse is located along the river on Bay Street in Savannah.

Opinion: It is delicious.

Fact: I ate shrimp on Saturday (::gasp::!! - sidenote: the only reason I am a "vegetarian" is because I refuse to eat factory farmed meat. For more information about factory farmed meat, the book Eating Animals is a great book to read. This shrimp was freshly caught, which I felt much better about.)

Fact: A traditional low country boil includes shrimp and sausage, boiled potatoes, cabbage, and corn.

Opinion: My dinner was better than the original.

Fact: There is a store on Bay Street called The Peanut Shoppe, which is stocked with many different kinds of nuts.

Opinion: If I would have eaten one more "sample", I would have been accused of stealing. This store ROCKS!!

Fact: The sidewalk is made up of oyster shells.

Opinion: The sunset on Saturday night was beautiful, despite the fact there were no fireworks (the newspaper said there was!) that night.

Fact: My trip was short lived in Savannah.

Opinion: People in the south move at a much slower pace than my Chicagoan personality would like to allow.

Fact: We retrieved BIL's (brother in law) children in Savannah.

Opinion: Everything takes 3 times as long with kids in tow.

cutie patooties

Fact: Melissa at For the Love of Health is having a giveaway that ends July 11th!

Opinion: The Lasenza headband and workout socks are by far the cutest things EVER and I really hope I am a winner winner chicken dinner!

Fact: I have not been able to read blogs for the past couple of days.

Opinion: I missed the blog world.

xoxo - time to catch up and then head to bed!!

Question: What is one fact and opinion message from your holiday weekend?

sinful oatmeal

Another great night's sleep last night - I am so glad I have been sleeping so well the past few nights! It makes me so frustrated when I can't sleep well. Megan was talking yesterday about how she woke up ravenous one morning and had to make breakfast! As I told her, I think I sleep better when I eat a calorie heavy snack right before bed. My metabolism is working like crazy, and I am always hungry. So, the thought of not eating for :gasp: 10 hours is horrible for me!! I ended my night yesterday with another huge apple, raisins, and a pb spoon, so that made me sleep like a baby. :)

When I woke up this morning, the woodland creatures were waiting for me at my window and the birds were singing and happily made my bed. Okay, so apparently that animated film made me go into Disney Princess mode. That actually did not happen - but I forgot to mention last night there is a really cute new movie coming out called Tangled . I am a sucker for animated movies.

This morning I discovered something. Leftover muffins + oatmeal = purely sinful bowl. It was delicious!

1/3 cup oats, 1/2 naner, 1 tbsp flax, crumbled blueberry muffin, cinnamon, and a pb spoon

I wanted to wait to pour in my (almond) milk until you saw that beautiful bowl!

Needless to say, I froze a couple muffins so this could be repeated at a later date. I'm pretty pumped, so it might end up being tomorrow... that's a later date, right?

Today starts my second half marathon training! Yay! It's only a 3 mile loops today - piece of cake. I have not ran/worked out since Friday, so I'm sure it will feel good. My body really needed the break because I was not feeling up to anything Saturday and Sunday. So, unfortunately, I am not able to actually sign up for the race until AFTER the wedding, so hopefully the registration will still be open. If not, I will just have to find another race somewhere! My plan is to train as if I am already signed up though.

After my run, I have some errands to run, and I have to start planning our trip for this weekend. It's really hard for me to go on any kind of road trip/vacation without planning meals due to so many of my intolerances. Visit this page if you are unaware of my story.

Question: What are some good snacks you bring on road trips?