Getting out of the Slump

I haven't blogged in almost a week. Last week was awful. I couldn't get motivated to exercise so I was in an extra grumpy mood. I found out some disappointing news, felt very alone and just in a slump. On Saturday I went to church and it was all about motivation. I really felt the service. I decided to start my week out right and shake my slump.

On Sunday I exercised my butt off... literally! For a group organization we had to clean the Breslin center after the men's basketball game. This is a picture of most of the inside. There are also rows at the top of the picture all the way around. Now imagine this filled with water and pop bottles, concession food, and newpapers. Then imagine 6 girls picking ALL of it up. Yup that was my Sunday afternoon. 4 hours of cleaning and climbing up and down stairs, lunging to pick up trash and bending over. Today I can't feel my legs! It was a great, free workout and I helped my group earn $300 :)

Today (Monday) I was super busy and running late so I didn't eat breakfast. My body felt it until I could eat lunch at 12pm. This picture is of all the food I packed. I had the mac n' cheese and ready pack snack (apples, celery, almond butter and raisins) with diet coke for lunch. The 100 calorie cheese pack and crackers for a snack. I didn't drink the special K shake. It all kept me satisfied till 8:30 pm and I felt energized which was a nice change from last week.


Unfortunately I had meetings all night so I didn't get home till 10pm and made a quick dinner of Veggie Chicken and a sweet potato.

Sorry this is quick and short but it's midnight and a long day... I hope you keep reading in the future!!

P.S. Check out this great giveaway by Sammi. I am in desperate need of some cleaning supplies and these sound great!

A 16 hr Tuesday

Happy Tuesday everyone!! I know I usually do a Tuesday Tangent blog but today I don't really have anything to go on a tangent about. So instead I thought I'd give a glimpse into my typical Tuesday.

I worked from 7:30am-3pm so I packed my lunch. This is super easy and delish. It's a Morning Star Farms California Turkey Burger with ketchup on the side. I grabbed the patty frozen, microwaved it in the container and packed the bun in a zip lock bag. Highly recommend it!

(P.S. Sorry for the shotty picture qualities they came from my phone)

I really like these Ready Snax. They're very affordable ($2.50 in Michigan) and only 22o calories. This one had hummus, carrot and celery stix and sunflower seeds.
After work I have class from 4-7 but thankfully we got out at 5:45 this week! Hip, Hip Hooray!! I decided to go to our College of Ed (my college :)). We have this awesome seating area and coffee shop that provide comfy seating w/lots of plugs and free wifi... I will miss this when I graduate.
Me trying to study but decided to take pictures on my Mac w/photobooth. Very fun and a good study break. The book is called Behavior Management, it's an ok book. They mostly use data instead of examples of special education in the classroom but it is very informational.
At 7:30 I had a TEAM (Tomorrow's Educators for the Advancement of Multiculturalism). I'm the President and put together monthly meetings with Powerpoints that discuss different issues in the classroom. I didn't take a pic of this... Epic Fail on my part.

I got out at 9, participated in FitBlog on Twitter and went home. Made a quick dinner of a turkey/avacado wrap and finishing up some homework while watching MTV reality shows. It's now 11:30 and I can finally go to bed for 6 hours :)

Good night all and thanks for reading!!!

Chobani Giveaways!!

So lately I've been in LOVE with ChoBani. I've never been a yogurt fan, the weird texture and all the milk made me turn away. But I've been reading a ton about it on Twitter and my blogs so I thought I'd give it a try. It is soooo good!! It's light and full of fruit and the 0% ones don't make my stomach hurt. I highly recommend it!

Here a few links to giveaways of ChoBani :)

http://cookinfanatic.com/2011/02/chobani-giveaway/

http://www.wordsearchpuzzledreams.com/2011/02/chobani-review-and-giveaway.html

http://www.everylittlethingblog.com/2011/02/chobani-giveaway.html (Ends at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, February 23rd.

Quadruple "S" Sunday

I can't believe it's Sunday, February 20th already!! I graduate in just over 2 months!! Yay!

Onto the first "S" in quadruple "S" Sunday. These are Snoozies. They are slippers but they have grips on the bottom and fit like socks. They keep my feet very warm and am thankful to my roommate Kelsey for getting them for Christmas. She tried to get me moisturizing socks but since I wear a size 3 in kids shoes Snoozies were the next best thing. I don't mind at all ;)

My 2nd "S" stands for Sandwich. This is my Sunday off from teaching Sunday School so I went to 9:30 service and was able to come home and make a giant mug of coffee and this super tasty sandwich.

I really wanted an egg sandwich but not the same-old, same-old kind. I dug through my fridge and freezer and found Morning Star Veggie Bacon, left over avacado/ranch condiment, pepper-jack cheese and an apple. Individually they wouldn't seem to go together but they mushed perfectly. The avacado/ranch condiment added a wonderful taste along with the spicy cheese and the crunch and tartness from the apple was a perfect finish. I could only fit 1/2 the apple on the sandwich so I ate the other 1/2 with peanut butter. Delish!!
The 3rd "S" is for Snow! I spent all day at my younger sister's apartment. She lives right across the street from me and needed some help cleaning. It started snowing in the afternoon and continued till I got home around 9ish. Here is a pic of Michigan's Winter Wonderland (view from my porch)

The picture doesn't do the depth fairness so I took a pic of my boots outside. I'm 4'11 and the boots come up almost to my knees. The snow is to the top of the boots. A mathmatician would have a formula but I looked it up on weather.com and we've gotten around 4-6 inches already!
And finally our 4th "S".... Sushi!! I wanted a quick meal that would be light before bed so I had some left over sushi and steamed veggies. Quick, easy, and not a lump in my tummy.
And of course I had to finish with 1 1/2 homemade cookies from my Grandma :)

What is your favorite breakfast food?

* Breakfast sandwiches or french toast from Golden Harvest

What is your favorite Sunday activity?

* I often find myself cleaning and doing homework... not my fav but productive :)

Do you have anything to look forward to for the week?

* Not really... I only have 1 quiz and get to watch a movie in the dreaded English class so "knock on wood" it'll be an easier week!

Hair, Grandma, and Vodka with Cookies

How do you wear your hair to the gym? I usually don't pay attention. I roll out of bed, pull on clothes, brush teeth and throw my hair up. Today though a girl comes up to me and says, "wow, I love your hair. It's like a spice-girl turned ballerina up-do". This cracked me up. Here is a pic.

And another pic. My hair looks a little red which I like :)

After the gym I made a larger breakfast. It was around 11:30 by the time I ate so I had a whole wheat bagel w/ homemade veggie cream cheese. 1/2 banana with peanut butter, and a blackberry, blueberry, Chobani yogurt, and chocolate granola parfait. It was super and kept me full until I ate dinner around 5.

Today is my Grandma's birthday! She is 81 and is amazing. To celebrate we (my parents and I, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Larry, and older brother and sister-in-law) went to her house and made dinner and visited. I love my Grandma. She's only been a part of my life for the last 4 years because she's my Step-Dad's Mom, but she makes me call her Grandma and treats me like one of the grand-kids. This is a picture of all her sisters at Christmas, she is the 2nd from the left :)

After dinner I was helping her clean up and she pulls the vodka out of the freezer. She MADE me take it, along with cookies! How awesome is that?!

What hair dos do you wear at the gym?

* Like I said, I throw it up.

Who is an important person in your life? How do you celebrate their birthday?

* My Grandma obviously, and my Mom and older sister and younger sister. Both my sister's have the same birthday (crazy that they are exactly 6 years apart!). We always cook our favorite meals and have Sam or Costco cake.

Does your Grandma, Grandpa or Parents ever give you gifts on random visits?

* My Grandma ALWAYS gives me her whole pantry (or so it feels), and the parents take me grocery shopping... they all understand I'm a broke college student!

Friday Favorites-Home Dinner Edition

So lately I've been reading a lot more blogs about healthy eating and fitness. A few of my favorites include Megan, Christina, and Emily, you should definitely check them out! On Friday at work I was catching up on blog reading and thanks to some inspiration from them and my Mom I went to Meijer after work to get a healthy, quick dinner. I was in and out in 30 min and with only 3 bags, I think it's a record.

I've always loved MorningStar products and they were on sale (2 products for $7)! I got some bacon, chicken patties, chicken fingers, and burgers. I also picked up some fab steamers and sweet potato fries.
I also needed some fresh produce and good snack food for classes this week. Thankfully blackberries and blueberries were on sale and the snack packs look rally good and come in handy containers. Combined with some Chobani yogurt, 100 pack cheese cubes and bagels I'm set for the week :)
I also picked up some sushi for a little taste. Meijer sells this 12 pack California roll for only $5.50! It's not the most amazing sushi but it satisfies the need for a little taste. I may have eaten some after this picture... it looked and tasted amazing!
Mary highly recommended the LaraBar, chocolate coconut flavor, and I love the KIND bars. Full of fiber and organic ingredients. Can't wait to eat these.
For dinner I decided to have a chicken patty, sweet potato fries, and veggies. I really wanted avocado on my sandwich but wanted a little kick to it. I mixed 1 avocado with 2 tablespoons of low-fat ranch dressing and a little lime juice. It's amazing if I do say so myself.
My amazing dinner. It was filling without being heavy. The sweet potato fries are to die for and at 150 calories/serving I can easily fit them into my diet.

What is one of your favorite, quick dinners?

* This is in the top 5, along with pasta with sauce and salad, and tortilla-encrusted fish from Costco.

Do you have any special sauces?

* I always have my grandma's BBQ sauce on hand. It has mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, and some spices... I put it on everything.

What are some of your favorite blogs to read? I need suggestions!

What's up Wednesday?

Yay it's half way through the week! Technically today was my last day of classes for the week, but I teach all day tomorrow and work and Friday I work so no relaxing.

Today was a day where I felt rushed. Wednesdays are my "sleep in" days, meaning I sleep in till 8 or 8:30. Today I slept till 8:45! I was lazy last night and didn't pack my lunch, pull my clothes, or pack my bag so I had to do all that this morning. Thankfully the roomie was able to drive me to classes... She's the bestest!

Once at class I quickly chugged this Special K shake. Very tasty and filling.

On Wednesdays I have class from 10:30-3:30. I had a basic salad for lunch so at 2 I was starving and needed a pick me up. I love this popcorn because it's high in fiber, low calorie, and filling. And it's only $1!

I worked at 4:30 today so I packed an amazing fruit cup and grabbed a frozen quiche lorraine that my Mom had made me. She makes homemade quiche and they're great for freezing and reheating!

I'm sorry this is a shorter post and that some words are underlined and some not. Blogger did that and I'm a little too tired to figure out how to stop it. If you want a fun and interesting blog you should read Kelly's blog called Foodie Fresh (click here) and enter in her coconut giveaway... but only submit 1 entry because I really want to win some coconut for macaroons. If I win I'll send you some :)

Tuesday Tangents

This is going to be shorter than usual because 1) I didn't take pictures today so these are all from google images (except for SMEA) and 2) It's been a 16 hour day and I have to get up in 6 hours.

This afternoon I went to the gym and did 2.25 miles in 30 min on the elliptical. This is really slow for me, usually I can do 12 min. miles, but I had to study for 2 quizzes that I had while working out. I am not coordinated for this. I was doing hill work and the elliptical is a little old so when it went up hill it jerked, yea I almost fell. Not. Cool.



After working out I had a quick lunch for french toast left overs and got ready for a nice 3 hr class. Usually I don't mind this class but tonight it went extra long. I unactivated my facebook due to interviews on Friday for teaching and not wanting my employers to make pre-conceived notions about me from looking at it. But I suffered through it and learned a ton.

After class I had a 3 hour long SMEA (Student Michigan Education Association). This was very informational and I enjoy my fellow Eboard members.
After the meeting I had to wait 1 hour for the parking gate to go up. I hate paying for parking and refuse to do it so I did Fitblog on Twitter while I waited. I got home around 10 just in time for Teen Mom 2 and My Life As Liz with the roomies.

1) Have you ever fallen off an exercise machine?
* Yes, I've tripped, fallen, slipped, you name I've done it at the gym.
2) Do you like professional development meetings?
* Yes and no, I learn a lot from them and they help my career as a teacher but as a Senior with a job, homework, and other activities they take up a lot of time.

3) What are some of your favorite "reality" t.v. shows?
* I really like reality T.V. Including the Biggest Loser, Teen Mom, My Life As Liz, and Jersey Shore.

Sunday Funday... But late :(

For the last week or so my parents have been in St. Thomas. I was very bitter that they decided to leave me in the blizzard in Michigan but on Sunday my Mom made it up to me.

Note that this picture is from 2 years ago, I now have brown hair but will most likely go back to blonde... but this is me and my Mom :)

First we went to church, which was amazing because my Mom has never been to the church I go to here at school. She got to meet all the families I babysit for and it took us awhile to leave, but I loved every minute of it. She had never been to Golden Harvest either so we went there for brunch.

Now Golden Harvest is a more "unique" place to eat. You'd miss it if you aren't looking for it and you have to wait at least 30 min and inside you are packed in like a can of sardines. But it's THE BEST breakfast/brunch place. Ever. Not other options. This was our awesome waitress!

I got the 3 piece french toast with the triple berry sauce. It also came with a package of hashbrowns and a whole pig of bacon. Mom got a spinach and feta omlette with rasberry swirl toast and seasoned potatoes. I wanted to take more pics but my AMAZING breakfast was calling.

After brunch it was 3ish so Mom had to go home to the Dad but it was such an amazing day :)

1) What is your favorite brunch food?

* I love to make "Sunday Sandwhiches" they include texas toast, poached egg, bacon, and cheese. Add some fresh fruit and I'm a happy girl.

2) What was your last vacation?

* My last vacation was last year in March for my spring break. I went out to D.C to visit my sister :) I'm in desperate need of another one!

What type wedding shows do you watch?

Have I ever explained how I often change my age? Some days I act like a 10 year old, or a 22 years, and unfortunately 35 some days. Friday night I was definitely 35. After an incredibly long week and realizing how broke I really am, I decided to stay in and clean.

I obviously had quite a bit of cleaning to do.

I absolutely hate it when I let my desk get this disorganized!

After a few hours of cleaning and disorganized (above) is the end result! So proud of myself :)

All the cleaning took a lot out of me so I treated myself to a nice snack of a choclate chip, banana scone and a glass of milk. The scone is from Espresso Royale and like a brick. I could only eat a few bites it's so heavy but so delicious! And yes, my clock says 9:15 pm

Around 10pm I finished reading all your blogs, watched enough girls try on wedding dresses (Say Yes to the Dress) and dish each other's wedding in competition for a honeymoon (4 weddings) and decided to go to bed. It was a nice, relaxing night so I think it's ok to be 35 some days :)

Do you ever not act your age? What is your favorite age?

What's you guiltiest sweet treat?

What is your favorite Friday night activity?

Favorite Fridays

Dear blog family,
I'm sorry I have not blogged since Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon I found out some very sad news about a family member and have been busy all week helping her. Thankfully she is now getting the help she needs but any extra prayers would help!

Since this has been such a tough week I decided to take today at work and catch up on all the blogs I follow. So for this Favorite Friday it will be all about my favorite blogs.

This is Mrs. Christine. I'm not going to put her last name because I feel like that would be a breach of privacy and the FBI and her husband would come after me... but if I made it up to her maybe I could go to her new place of residence :) Christine's blog is mostly about her life as a teacher intern and her random crazy stories. But they make me smile EVERY TIME I read them! Check her out or I'll poke you in the eye!! (Click here)

This is Katie. She is a delusional bridesmaid. No really, she is. You'll have to read her blog to find out more but she's pretty amazing. Best thing is she ALWAYS points out Christine's awkwardness which makes for some great laughs! Click here for some funny stories

This is Jenae. She is last but certainly not least. Reading her blog is like flipping through a picture book, the words are there but its more fun to look at the pictures and read the words later. She might kill me for putting this picture up but I feel like she's saying "Hi, I'm the hungry runner girl" which she totally is. You should click here and see her ridiculous running workouts and fun giveaway!!

Tangent Tuesday

1st things 1st. Check out Jenae's GIVEAWAY!!
Ok so Tangent Tuesday is a way to get frustrations out and then move on. It's 8:45am and I'm at work. I've been here since 7:30. I will post this blog and then have a wonderful, fantastic, day. And I hope you do too!


I have a membership to the gym on campus and I love it. There's always people there and everyone is friendly and I can often find a workout buddy. I'm social and can't workout alone. On Tuesdays I work 7:30-10:30am and then I usually go and workout but I have a hair appointment today and then class and meetings so I went to my apartment gym. It was awful. Not only are the machine's old but there was NO ONE THERE!! Granted it was 5:30 in the morning and what college student gets up that early to workout? Right? But I'm crazy and wanted at least 1 person there. It was boring. There was no one to talk to or to look at.






I've lived in Michigan my whole 22 years of life. I'm used to the cold and snow. But I'm over it. Really, 2 blizzards/winter are fine. It doesn't need to be 5 degrees with a windchill of -10. I went out to my car and found lovely frost on it. I started it 15 minutes before I had to leave for work and it was STILL frosted. See Picture. If anyone wants to pay for me to go somewhere warm I'll gladly accept. So that's all for my Tangent Tuesday. I'm not really in a negative/tangent mood. It's Tuesday which means that GLEE is on!! I have to miss it but will watch it on Hulu tonight! ****************************************************************
Do you watch people when you workout?
--I do, I love to see what other people do and if I see someone who looks more intense than me I'll kick it up. I'm very competitive, even if I don't know you.

What is your favorite Tuesday night T.V?
--I love Glee and One Tree Hill. I can't watch them when I'm supposed to but that's what Sundays and Hulu are for :)

What are some of your favorite blogs to follow?
--Hungry Runner Girl, The Chic Life, WebbSite, Confessions of a Delusional Bridesmaid

I Can Pay You in Mac n' Cheese

Ok so one of the best friend bloggers ever, Janae, is having an AWESOME GIVEAWAY!! Go to her blog and check it out... but don't enter because then I can't win and I LOVE swedish fish :)

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Mondays are one of my longer days. I'm on campus from 9:30-4 and then I tutor from 5-7 and have a meeting from 7-8. So when I finally got home I was feeling exhausted but still needed to get in a workout and finish up some homework. I forced myself eat a Myoplex bar and headed to the gym. I got about 3 miles into my elliptical run and decided to kick it up and do the aerobics mode for the other 3 miles. I then met up with my friend Lindsey and we did a weight circuit. It was such an amazing feeling at the end that I rewarded myself with some chocolate ice cream :)

I called my little sister and begged her to help with my hair. Doesn't it look grey at the roots? I swear I'm not but my roots are so much lighter than the rest!

Being the amazing sister and colorist that she is she agreed to help my situation and since I can't pay her in cash I'll take her Mac n' Cheese :)

On a last note, I live in Michigan and it was a whopping 20 degree out today so this guy decided to wear shorts and tennis shoes... Bet ya $10 he'll have a cold by the end of the week!