Going Green

Tips for going green.

Number 1:

Add spinach to your smoothie.

Number 2:

Reheat leftover pizza for lunch. Using the microwave may not be the best thing for the planet, but hey, at least you are recycling, right?

Number 3:

Instead of eating a bar that would then cause trash from a wrapper you would have to discard; eat and apple off a biodegradable paper towel.

Number 4:

Instead of eating dinner finish off a pack of crackers someone else opened, while carpooling [super green!] to a concert.

Number 5:

When leaving said concert, lose your car key, therefore causing you to panic that you might have to walk home [18 miles]. No sweat. You ran a marathon, right?

Number 6:

Fortunately for you, some good Samaritan may find your key and give it to someone to make sure it gets to it’s rightful owner. Makes you glad you were at a Christian concert, unlike the one the year before where you lost your keys and $360 getting replacements made. Nothing like saving the earth from all that plastic used to make the car keys, right? Not to mention your wallet. And lets not mention the pesky fact that car fumes are not green. You carpooled, right?

That, ladies and gentlemen, is at least how I go green.

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Chicken: Terms of Endearment.

Hey there, chickens! [new term of endearment for me. I call Cecily a chicken.]

In return she calls me Chicken Leg and Chicken Poo. Feel welcome to do the same. Chicken was learning how to draw with depth today. She did a pretty bangin’ job on a barn. I love that kid.

Also love green monsters.

Had one of those on the way out the door this morning. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t even notice some had dripped down the side there + I left my camera cord at home.

In the pink bottle:

• spinach
• almond milk
• pb
• vanilla whey protein powder
• ice
• frozen naner

That’s a winner every time! LOVE IT.

At lunch time I was going to post about that green monster, but I realized I left my camera cord at home, so I ate some steamed veggies instead.

Cauliflower, carrots, broccoli.

I think I died and went to veggie heaven. This was SO GOOD. No kidding.

Later a snack was had. [At like 2 pm. Those veggies did not hold me over very well. But the green monster did. What what, smoothie power!]

STRAWB. adore.

But peach still holds first place in my heart.

Once all my work was done [on food and otherwise] I went home. When I got there I was not feeling very motivated. I was in fact feeling very SAD. Sunny summer days, come back to me! You motivate me so.

I think I am part bear. I just want to hibernate in the winter.

Ate some pizza.

+ salad. I had two slices of the pizza though. I wouldn’t want to deceive anyone.

Annnnnyway…

It was ERIKA’S! birthday, so I went over to help with the celebrations.

Such a gorgey cousin I have there. Her + Scott = cutest couple ever.

She is 19! [tomorrow] *

I loved this cake. In more ways than one.

And this whole table?

Well I was like a horse and it was my pasture. Grazed all night.

FUN was had!

PS: I suck at Rock Band + I am getting my hair done Saturday. No more roots! That stuff is looking wack!

PPS: Have you heard this song yet? SO GOOD. I am obsessed.

G’night chickens!

*ETA: This posted at 12 AM so it was officially Erika’s birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love you, girlie.

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rain, rain, go away

Ta da!

I am better!

And I owe it all to my breakfast this morning.

Green Monster, how did I forget you?

Well, never mind that. Just glad I remembered him and his healing powers.

In the VitaMix:

• 1 frozen banana
• almond milk
• 4 cups spinach
• 1 spoonful PB
• 1 scoop protein powder
• ice

Lovely.

So thanks to the power of green monster and green monster alone, I managed to make it to work this morning.

And now it’s time for lunch!

Which is a PB&J and grapes.

 

It was the easiest thing to grab at 7 am.

Speaking of 7 am.

Since I am well, I am planning to do my run tomorrow.

Yeah, it looks like I will have to be running at 7 am if that’s gonna happen.

What is gonna happen: Me going to bed at 9 pm tonight so that is even a remote possibility.

See ya before 9!

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48

48 degrees! Yep, fall is here!

Not just fall, but MAMA D’S BIRTHDAY! 44 years she has lived today. Our weekend trip was for her birthday, so I think tonight we are going to keep it chill and let Pops take her to dinner while we bake a cake and watch the kiddos.

After wishing Mama D. the happiest of birthdays I proceeded to start my incorporation of veggies into my veggie diet on the right foot.

Coffee and green monsta to go!

Double the fun, double the energy.

In the green monsta:

• spinach
• frozen banana
• pb
• ice
• scoop of protein powder
• soy milk

Got my vegs, right along with my carbs and nut butter.

I don’t know why I haven’t been relying more heavily on veggies. I like them. Now my ten year old self didn’t like them, but then my ten year old self also wore sweat suits and had frizzy hair.

I like think I’ve improved in many areas since then, eating habits being one of them.

For lunch I doubled my veggies, and probably my energy as well.

Green peas! I do loooove these.

Yellow corn! What’s not to like?

I finished up my baked tofu with some BBQ sauce.

nom nom nom.

Look there. Not a nut butter in sight.

 

Something to listen to: The links to ‘Really Knowing God’ Pt. 2 & 3. Enjoy!

Currently excited about: Going for a run after work, and Glee tonight!

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Avast, me hearties!

Did you know today is National Talk Like A Pirate Day?

If you know nothing of talking ‘pirate’, well here are some wonderful instructional videos.

I feel certain ye shall find these very helpful. Or not.

ARRRRRR and a yo ho ho!

*****

In celebration of National Talk Like A Pirate Day, I ran 12 miles this morning. I actually think it was a little longer than that, because I felt more beat after this run than I even began to feel after my half-marathon.

Before my run I had a piece of toast with almond butter.

During my run around miles 5 and 10 I snacked on dried bananas and apricots.

Currently I am icing my knees,

and chilling.

After my icing is done I feel certain that I will shower, but more importantly I am going to get new shoes before I meet the girls for dress shopping.

Have a great day, and don’t forget to Talk Like A Pirate!

PS: You may have noticed a new section on my blog titled ‘Bestes Von’. Supposedly that’s German for ‘Best of’. Don’t ask why I chose German. I just did. Anyway, that’s where you can find the ‘Best of’ WHIT! Go check it out, matey!

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green oats and bran

I must confess, when eating dinner last night I did not think it was enough to hold me over until the morning, and low and behold it was not. It was all my stomach could handle at the time, but come 11 pm, I was scouring the cabinets. I had a piece of bread, some dry cereal and some peanut butter. Jillian Michaels would not have been proud of me, having all those carbs before bed.

Ah well, what’s a girl to do? Go to bed hungry? Not this one, especially after running 10 miles!

This morning, I tried yet another first for breakfast.

Oat bran!

Not just any old oat bran either.

Green oat bran.

I made it the same way I saw Kelly do a few weeks ago.

In the Vitamix I pureed spinach, a banana and 1/3 a cup of almond milk. I poured that into a pot, and added 1/3 cup of oat bran. The verdict? I really, really like green oats and oat bran! It tasted like a green monster, but warm and oaty. I foresee this being a good winter staple, nice for a cold morning.

I topped my green oats with strawberries, almond butter and coconut. YUM.

Another plus about this breakfast, was that it held me for a loooong time. A long, long time.

When I finally got hungry, I met Meredith and some of our married and motherly friends for lunch at Panera.

Isn’t baby Brooklyn just the cutest?

After oohing and ahhhing over the general cuteness of the offspring of our pals, I got down to bizness.

A classic salad, apple and half a tomato mozzarella panini.

Seriously if you haven’t tried this sandwich, what are you waiting for?

It’s just the best thing since sliced bread.

I would say the same about the salad, but as you can see it had those wonky greens that no one likes.

I’ll take the lettuce and leave the wiry stuff for someone else. Thanks!

Lest I forget, it’s Friday.

Yep. Cookie Friday.

I enjoyed every single morsel of this decadent thing.

After lunch, I ran some errands that included the post office, and now I had better get to work, so I can leave this place at a reasonable hour.

This evening I am:

• 30 day shredding
• dinner at my madre’s church
• getting together with some old friends

Should be fun!

****

9.11.09. What were you doing eight years ago?

I was babysitting, I recall just sitting in shock at what was happening to my country.

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suds and shampoos

Clif Z-Bar says hey.

Hey girl, hey!

Upon arriving home from work , (late I might add) I discovered much to my dismay, that Skipper was limping about the pasture. Actually, she wasn’t limping so much as just standing there looking all sad.

So I gathered her up and set her foot to soaking.

While that was going on, I decided she could use a bath.

All soapy and sad, foot in the bucket.

Yes, that is human shampoo.

Mama D.’s in fact. Shhhh, don’t tell.

Luckily for me horses dry pretty quickly.

Like new, she is, and Mama D. shall never know her shampoo went a-missing!

Of course one look in these eyes and how could she say no?

Soon our photo session was over, so I returned my love to her stall where she could chat with her friends.

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Give me some of that hay!! How did you score a stall!?! Ol’ Gimp Leg.

That taken care of, I set out on a ride. A bike ride, that is. I went 10 miles, and came home, sweaty and hungry.

I knew just what I wanted.

Pesto + Penne!

After seeing Betsy make pesto with broccoli, well that was right up this chick’s alley, so I knew where my bag of broccoli was going.

I didn’t use the whole bag. Just half.

The other half is for lunch tomorrow.

I added an orange to the side.

It was on it’s last leg. I did it a favor. It was surely headed to the compost otherwise.

I ended my meal on this sweet note:

A fantastic fruit and oatmeal thing baked by Mama D., supplier of horse shampoo.

What a jack lady of all trades that woman is!

And she doesn’t even know it.

Proverbs 25:21 (The Message)

If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch; if he’s thirsty, bring him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness, and God will look after you.

I’m hoping Mama D. feels real generous with her shampoo when she reads this.

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faux lunch

Check out what Kasey made with her Amazing Grass this morning:

Forgive the cell phone pic; apparently Kasey’s first green monster enjoyed a nice highway view on it’s way to work. She described it as ‘Yummmola’, so I think she likey?

I didn’t have any Amazing Grass , so I settled for French Toast.

Topped with stewed blue + black berries.

Such a compromise, huh?

I don’t know what I did, but I did something right. This french toast was delicious.

I mixed:

• 1 egg
• almond milk
• flax
• splash of vanilla
• cinnamon

Soaked the bread and cooked it for an appropriate amount of minutes.

Perfect start to the day!

I have a good feeling about today. I think I am finally going to get caught up here at the office. Such a nice feeling, especially since those yucky reports are done.

Not yucky:

FauxMex Salad

• romaine + spinach
• 1/4 avocado
• corn chile salsa
• black beans

I may have added some hot sauce after the photo shoot.

I also had a FiberFul for dessert.

mmmm, faux fruit leather!

Must get back to work, if this catching up thing is gonna happen!

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(read: this post)

Heeyooooo!

So many of you were so kind to check out my sistah’s skillz + comment on them. If she can make me look that good, she must have some mad ones, yo.

This morning I slept REALLY LATE. So late I am not even telling you what time it was, but it was too hot to run 10 miles. So I ran 6.

I cooled down with a smoothie.

ice+banana+amazing grass chocolate superfood + white chocolate wonderful+milk+spinach.

I added some dates and Barney Butter, since I was technically having brunch, as it was neither breakfast nor lunch. I felt the extra calories were necessary.

I just realized I forgot dates at the grocery store. Oh dear, that was the last of them.

I do not love Amazing Meal, but the SuperFood was not bad, and the shaker is, well AMAZING. I do love that thing.

After my brunch, I showered off, cleaned the garage + the broken outside refrigerator that stunk, cleaned up AGAIN, and met Kasey to go to Trader Joes.

I snacked on a FiberFul on the way.

We, or rather I, got many delicious things at Trader Joes. Kasey shops more like a normal person, and does not buy excess amounts of spinach and broccoli.

Plus, I went to Great Harvest for a loaf of bread, then Lowes Foods for some free Oikos. It was there I also found Sabra in Spinach Artichoke. I was one happy camper.

I could not resist the fresh bread, so I spread a bit of Wild Oats and Barney Butter on a slice for a snacky snack.

Now I am off to do some more cleaning (read: bedroom) and get ready for a birthday party (read: FUN).

See ya tomorrow!

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not amazing.

I am glad that you guys enjoyed my review of The Shack.

I’ll admit, I was a little nervous posting on something that is rather controversial, but so far I have received mainly good feed back. I’ll take it.

I also wanted to share with you an e-mail that I received from my friend Rachel today.

She says:

I just read your blog about The Shack. I read it a couple months ago…and I agree with you 100% that it is one of those very few books I’ve read in my lifetime that changed my life. I am so glad to hear someone else say the same thing. I have gotten into so many arguments (maybe argument isn’t the right word; disagreement might be better) over this book! People can’t open their eyes past the fact that God is a black woman! It really makes me sad that people can be so closed minded. I loved the fact that they took it outside the box and did that…who ever said God was an old white man with a Santa Claus beard and white robes? I don’t know what Bible that came out of, but it wasn’t mine. God is for ALL of us, not just a certain race and gender. I feel that’s sort of what the book was trying to portray. And the relationship between God and Jesus was just beautiful. I had never thought about their relationship, but it was so intense and loving…I cried many times through this book. Just wanted to say thanks; I enjoyed reading your opinion and it being a favorable one, because I loved that book and I will definitely reread it many times!

I wanted to share her thoughts with you as well, because I thought she hit on several points that I overlooked, that were just as important as what I did mention.

Ok, enough about books.

Here’s what we all came for.

Oh wait, first I will note that I ran 4 miles this morning, but it was cloudy and muggy and kind of sucked. Ok moving on.

To FOOD.

If you can call that food.

• 1 packet Amazing Meal
• cocoa powder
• coffee
• frozen banana
• spinach
• ice

As you can see, I was going for a mocha flavor here, plus I was out of milk. Of any kind. Cow, almond and soy. It was a sad day in my household. Honestly, it would have been good, minus the Amazing Meal. It gave it a truly gritty texture that I did not enjoy at all. Blech.

I drank it anyway, and was starving by 10:30.

Hello, dark chocolate chips that I found in the freezer. Please come keep my stomach company.

Those tided me over until lunch, which was what I call a working lunch. Also my cabinets are rather bare. I need to make a TJ’s run.

Yes, that was my whole lunch. Eaten at my desk.

Lonely plum.

+

Pro Bar that packed; ‘ello, 370 calories in about 3 square inches of bar.

It was pretty good though. Had a nice peanut butter flavor, and I liked the texture a lot.

By 3 pm my stomach was SCREAMING for something else.

I quieted it with another juicy plum, plus a bag of Oh Nuts! almonds. I almost ate the paperweight too, but it cracked my front tooth.

By dinner it was time for some Real Food.

Spinach mac ‘n cheese

• large handful of spinach
• 2/3 cup of whole wheat penne
• 1 LC wedge
• spoonful of spinach + artichoke dip

The dip was a last minute, but fabulous addition.

On the side I had some juicy homegrown cantaloupe.

Mac ‘n cheese and cantaloupe.

Yep, that’s real food.

For dessert I had a most creepy and unappetizing combo.

I KNOW! It looks like a creepy creature/alien/bug of some type.

In reality it was just TJ’s Nothing but Naners schmeared with Barney Butter and rolled up into frushi.

‘twas delish.

In the same frame as last night’s verse, I was reminded of this verse today whilst chatting with a dear friend via e-mail.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (New Living Translation)

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

People are in your life for a reason, a season, or sometimes a lifetime. It doesn’t make the friendship any less special or meaningful whichever it is.

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