30 Day Juice "Feast" (Days 1-4)

 

 

So last week Nelson and I re-watched the documentary  Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and decided Hey, juicing for a month can’t be that hard! Let’s try it!

 

And so Friday I embarked on this crazy journey of juicing, which at first was extremely overwhelming because I had never juiced a day in my life. Nelson ordered a Breville juicer (you can fit a whole apple in it, core and all!) and we went to Kroger and filled our cart with a crazy amount of fresh fruits and veggies. I pulled up some recipes online and I guess you could say the rest is history.

 

I wanted to document this journey, because really the thought of not eating any solid food for 30 days seems insane. If I can get through it, I really want to have something to look back on and remember it. Also, I figured that if it works for me – maybe it could help some one else!

 

So before I get started, some things that Nelson and I probably could’ve done better. First, I didn’t eat any foods the week before that would have probably made the transition easier. For example, my last meal was a bag of popcorn and a huge bowl of goldfish. I eat like a toddler; the meal before that was chicken nuggets. I also drink a large iced coffee from McDonald's daily. So if I could do it again, I’d probably try to eat more fruit and vegetable based meals before jumping straight into it. Second, Nelson and I bought our veggies in bulk (seriously – we purchased 40 cucumbers in one trip!) and looking back it’s probably smarter to purchase everything in smaller portions – maybe like enough for a few days max, rather than 2 weeks for 2 people. Our fridge couldn’t hold all of the food, and some of the leafy greens are starting to mold because they’ve been sitting in a wet bag for several days. Gross. Plus there wasn't room for the actual juice, so we had to throw a lot of our condiments out to make room (bummer, I hate being wasteful).

 

But we did do some things right! I obsessively researched the positives of juicing for almost the entire two weeks before the cleanse. I ignored the “nay-sayers” because let’s be honest, this is tough and it helps to remember the successes and positive results. Also, this article was a good way to get mentally prepared for things to come. So far, everything it’s said would happen has happened. Also, I chose to start on a Friday rather than waiting until the 1^st of April. This allowed me to go through the hardest part/initial stages of the cleanse without having to be at work or around people. This weekend I pretty much stayed on the couch or in bed, and it was nice to have that option. Also, I have no self control and one thing I definitely did right was quickly spent all my money on raw fruits and veggies and got rid of all my cash. When I was at my weakest point this weekend, I had no money to purchase food even if I wanted it! Very effective!

 

So here’s how I’m doing so far:

 

Day 1 (Friday) – The morning and the afternoon went really well. I didn’t feel hungry at all, and was still on the “high” of trying out something new. I chose two juices that tasted pretty good, considering the icky green color. The tables turned however at about 4:00 pm. I had a celery based juice that tasted like compost pile leftovers mixed with the nasty liquid you would find in a lawn mower bag. Also, it suddenly hit me that I wouldn’t get to have my weekly pizza fix. I wondered the halls of my apartment building, smelling dinners that were cooking and imagining how they would taste. The cravings that night were extremely intense, and I had several “breakdowns” where I just started sobbing. I went to bed early and dreamt of Mexican food;  beef nachos, specifically.

 

Day 2 (Saturday) – I woke up feeling really great! Unfortunately, the second I got out of bed things took a turn for the worst. This was the absolute hardest day of my entire life and I was certain I would die if I continued the cleanse. I tried watching tv to distract me, but quickly found myself on Red Lobster’s facebook page scrolling pictures of delicious deep fried shrimp, mashed potatoes, rolls…. All the while ugly crying my heart out. I began bargaining (which I read somewhere is normal for this stage) – telling myself that I could just eat raw veggies and it would be ok, or I could finish the cleanse if I just made it one week, or I could just start eating normal and give Nelson $200 for the groceries. The juice was so nasty that every time I drank a sip I would gag it back up. I only drank 2 juices and went to bed around 7pm. I was nauseated, dizzy, had a huge headache, hold/cold flashes, irritability, and little to no energy. I did actually "cheat" on this day and ate an orange, but I don’t regret doing that because it totally saved my cleanse. I felt soooo much better after that and it lifted my spirits just enough to allow myself to keep going. I didn’t dream of food that night, which was a relief!

 

Day 3 (Sunday) – I woke up around 10 am and was feeling pretty good. I did have some short-lived headaches that seemed to pop up sporadically, probably due to no coffee or processed sugar in 3 days. I had to finish the juices that I skipped over the day before (there were 3 and a half extra nasty ones), which was really tough. These juices tasted so bad at this point that after each gulp I would dry heave. I kept ice water with lemons nearby and that helped. I did cry but not as much as on Saturday. My cravings subsided and (because the juice was so gross) I began to cringe at mealtimes. But I finished the juices and was rewarded by a date at a local juice bar. Nelson (who start’s the cleanse on Tuesday) ate a meal in front of me, and it didn’t bother me. My stomach didn’t growl all day and I was very pleased that I could already fit into a pair of my “skinny jeans”!

 

Day 4 (Today) – I woke up at 7am and felt energetic and happy! I drank my morning juice (the same one I had on Friday that I liked – see recipe below) and was able to work throughout the day without any issues. I went grocery shopping with a friend/co-worker at our lunch break and the food didn’t bother me, nor did her eating a chicken sandwich next to me on the drive back to work, which I asked her to do just to see how it would effect me. I enjoy smelling, but don't feel like I will die if I don't eat anything. I came back and drank a beet based juice, which in all honesty tasted like dirt and looked like blood, but I didn’t gag or cry over it. I was a little “spacey” but it didn’t effect my daily routine. I came home, drank another juice, and enjoyed the rest of my evening without any tears. My first day not crying! I finally feel like I have the hang of things, and don’t feel quite as overwhelmed. Also, I weighed myself and I am down almost 15 pounds! Not too shabby for a weekend where I typically would've otherwise gained a pound or two.

 

Weird things I have noticed: My face started breaking out today, but washing it with this soap helps and it's not high-school terrible. My teeth feel gross. Using a straw helps, and extra brushing. Occasionally my jaw will hurt, probably from not crunching on delicious snacks. I crunch a piece of ice and that usually helps. Also, my nails are rock hard and white!

 

One thing that I have been surprised at is that food preparation isn’t as time consuming as I thought it would be. I think that’s the benefit of getting one of the more pricey juicers – they do most of the work for you. Each night, Nelson and I put together the ingredients for 5 juices. While he is putting one juice into the juicer, I’m cleaning and preparing the next round. It takes us less than an hour to prepare 5 juices AND clean the machine, plus it’s nice spending the time together. We have a pretty good system down, so I’m interested to see if/how things change once he starts the cleanse tomorrow.

 

I am not planning on going to the gym this week, because I want to give my body a chance to get used to all of the changes. I am going back next week and hopefully will be able to continue on with light workouts 4 times per week. More updated to come!

 

But first.... a juice recipe that doesn't make me dry heave!!

 



This juice contains: 1 grapefruit, 8 clementine's (or 2 oranges), 4 apples, and 8 kale leaves. YUM :)



I am a workaholic.

Yesterday I was eating dinner with one of my best friends, who I haven't seen in probably three months, and my phone rang. I felt my stomach tie up into a knot and I knew before glancing at my phone.... that it was work. I run a group home, and one of our girls keeps having seizures. I get the call several days a week around 8:30 pm and robotically instruct my staff to follow her to the hospital, find coverage so that she isn't alone, and notify her workers and parents. I spend the majority of the next morning filling out reports for licensing and human rights and filing internal investigations. It's a lot of work, it's an emotional situation, and it sucks.

The first night it happened, I had been at work much later than intended and 15 minutes after getting home and taking off my shoes I got the call. It was perfect timing, and I still laugh to myself thinking about it - I had poured a glass of chardonnay and the moment the glass hit my lips......... I got the call.

That afternoon, this teenager had been in my office yelling at me for holding her accountable and threatening to harm herself if I didn't give into what she wanted and that it would be all my fault, because "You don't care about me, you just do this for the paycheck!"

It was hard for me to hold back laughter. The garbage man makes more than I do and I have yet to receive my quarterly bonus I was promised when I signed on.

Anyway. I got the call that this girl was in her bedroom, unconscious, and that she was in an ambulance on her way to the hospital. I left my wine on the counter, pulled on my shoes, and ran out the door yelling to my boyfriend, whom I hadn't seen in days, "I have to go back to work! I'll probably be home really late! I'm sorry! I love you!'

I can't tell you how it felt to have my mind racing the entire way to the hospital. How it felt to know that the last thing she said to me was that I didn't care about her. How hard it was to be stern and hold her accountable, when all I wanted to do was hug her and tell her that I love her and wouldn't let anyone hurt her like she'd be hurt before she came to me.

I felt like a fucking parent and I didn't like it. I didn't like it for two reasons: because her actual parents weren't coming to the hospital to be there for her, and because I was not her parent and yet couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

I got to the hospital and she was awake, laughing at me for running to her bedside and obviously holding back big, fat tears. I stayed with her the whole night. I couldn't sleep. I just kept watching her, making sure she was breathing. Smiling to myself at how innocent she looked, snoring and not even realizing that she had scared the living shit out of me.

Before she fell asleep I overheard her talking to a nurse. The nurse was saying that she worked all the time, and she responded: "You sound like Ms. Kara. She loves us. She is always working, and every time we need her she is always there. Even when she's busy, she stops and listens to us."

I keep thinking back to how it sounded to hear some one say those things about me.
It was very strange. Yet, it made me proud; like I was put on this earth to do this work. I think I'm better at this job than I've been at anything else in my whole entire life.

Is that sad?

But sitting at dinner last night, I felt bad. Sometimes I get consumed by my work and I forget about the people in my life that I love.

I think I'm starting to realize that I need balance. That I can be good at my job, and still have a personal life. That it's ok to delegate.

I'm still figuring it all out. But, in the meantime, I hope that my small circle of people whom I keep close in my heart know just how much they mean to me. That I am able to do great work, because I have incredible support.

My Thoughts on Body Modification

 

This weekend I made it to 000g. For those of you who don't know, that just means that my earlobes are almost at a 1/2 inch in diameter (they will be on Friday!!). There are many different ways to stretch your ears, but I've chosen a slower process where I go to East End Dermagraphics every two weeks and have my friend, Carli, do her thing. She uses a taper, which is a long metal tube that gradually increases in diameter. I've tried doing it at home myself, and I just can't take the pain. Plus, I really like her company and we have fun picking out jewelry together.

 

Eventually, my goal is to get my earlobes to about  the diameter of a quarter - 24 mm. This will take me a few months, and is not exactly a cheap habit (my jewelry usually costs around $35-45). People often ask me why, and unfortunately I don't really have a deep or profound reason. I like the way it looks and think it's cool that I can push my body to these limits.

 

The other day, I stumbled across a blog post that made me want to address this topic myself. The woman, whom will remain unnamed, was venting about how her niece was "ruining her life" (and more importantly: future career options) by stretching her ears to a size 8g. For those of you who don't know, 8g is pretty small and will easily close up once the jewelry has been removed for a few weeks. Also, many of the jewelry options at this size aren't noticeable at all -for girls anyway- because they look like those large, button style earrings that are very common these days. If you have longer hair, even more of a plus if you need to make it less noticeable for work or other reasons.

 

I'll admit, I have been extremely lucky in my career in terms of my body modifications. I have a large collection of very noticeable tattoos that I don't put a lot of effort into hiding except for the rare instance that I'm on a job interview or some place that I don't feel like drawing attention to myself. My nose is also pierced and of course I have stretches my earlobes. Still, I have managed to build a pretty great reputation for myself professionally and I attribute that to almost 8 years of hard work in the social work field - I have a great relationship with professionals in my community and across the state who are also in the field, I'm good at my job, and I'm smart. My tattoos and piercings don't define me; they are just an extension of who I am. Employers have always understood and supported that. I've never once been asked to cover up anything or take any piercings out.

 

With that said, I take extra care to make sure I dress nice and that I keep my hair down when I'm working. I understand that there's a time and a place for the attention that undoubtedly comes with body modifications, and work is not that place. I have found that if I don't make a big deal out of it, others don't notice as much.

 

I think it's important that people understand that you can push societal boundaries of what's culturally "attractive" and the world will not come to an end. If you think something looks good and you are educated in the commitment required, go for it. Nobody hassles some one about coloring their hair or painting their nails or any of the other things that we do to enhance how we look. If you aren't hurting anyone, why should anyone else care?

 

What I would like to say to the woman who was complaining about her niece is this. Stop judging her for something you don't understand, and at least give her enough respect to do a little research or tell her your concerns in private. Also, as long as you have confidence in yourself, are smart, and are good at what you do - you will find an employer who values you for more than the way that you look.

 

That's how it's always been for me anyway.

 



 

This is me today. Last Sunday I decided to give up television, and so here I am: straightened hair and make up. Amazing what happens when I have a few extra hours on hand.

 

I'm on vacation today. My job has really been stressing me out lately, and so I decided it was time for two days home. By myself. Relaxing. I've been reading God Shaped Hole for the trillionth time, listening to sappy girl music, and deep cleaning like crazy. All in all, a successful day. I haven't had a vacation in almost two years... so these two days are pretty special and very much needed.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love my job. I've actually become one of those annoying people who obsess over their work and talk about it constantly. Eight months ago I left my boring ass case manager desk job and settled into running a teenage girls group home. It's so much fun and obviously very rewarding, but it has it's share of drama and turning my phone off today felt really great. So did not being surrounded by teenage girls in the midst of this moments "life crisis." I love those girls, though.

 

Tonight I'm going to the opening premier of Thor and am ready to totally nerd it out. Ok, not totally. I'm not dressing up or anything like that. But still. Speaking of nerding it out, I also spent some time this afternoon couponing for my grocery run tomorrow. Who am I?

 

Anyway, short and sweet. This is just a friendly reminder to slow down every once in a while and take a day or two to do whatever makes your heart happy. In my case, that's books. And cleaning. Whatever. It's important.

Trust.

I haven't been to this space in a while. I find myself writing less and less yet craving those moments where if I don't get my thoughts out on paper, my head will surely explode and my soul literally aches. I must be a gluten for punishment. I think maybe I should get rid of my television.

I think too much. I know that most of the problems that I've cooked up in my own imagination are not real. I know that I am my own worst enemy. That I have more questions than answers about who I really am and what I'm capable of. That I look stupid when I'm sleeping on the couch because I feel misunderstood by the person laying in the nice, warm bed next to me. Sometimes I wonder if I'm painfully obvious in my attempts to seem like I have my life put together and don't give a damn what anyone else thinks about it. But I don't have it together; I do care what people think. Really though, I feel like I'm grabbing at too many straws and they keep spilling out onto the floor. The more I try to fix my life, the more I realize what a bigger hole I've dug myself into.

When does one start feeling like they aren't racing at light speed into a target which is yet to be determined? I can't believe that I'm already considered to be in my late twenties, and I still feel like I'm palming around at the walls in a dark room. Does this get easier? Ever?

While I'm on this rambling tangent, I just want to say that I hate the phrase when you know, you just know. It actually even makes me sick to write it. I want to shake people who say that and tell them that they don't really know, they're just horny. But maybe they do know and I'm just bitter that I don't know yet. Maybe I secretly just wish I knew something, anything, about what I want. Maybe I just not so secretly hate that all my friends are getting engaged or having babies, while I'm stuck in the "I'm still figuring it all out" phase. This phase is like a bad love song on repeat.

I feel like love is such a huge risk. I thought I knew a lot of things when I was young and stupid and decided to marry my high school sweetheart. When we got divorced 3 years later, I realized that I didn't really know anything. And the memories of that relationship have been following me around like a bad habit ever since. No, I'm not still in love with my ex. What I mean is, I'm afraid to get too vulnerable with anyone because I'm not willing to feel that kind of hurt ever again. I'm not willing to let someone hold onto my heart or my feelings for any amount of time, because who wants to feel like that again? Not me. Shit, I'd rather be alone than feel like that.

That makes things especially tricky considering I've been in a relationship with the greatest guy I've ever known for the past year and a half. He is truly the only person in my whole life that's never been anything but exactly what he's said he was. The only person I've ever met who hasn't stabbed me in the back in some kind of way, or said he would be there when he really wasn't. But not even him, nope... he doesn't even get all the way in. And trust me, I make him jump some pretty crazy hoops.

This is the point of the post where I would normally start to clam up, however since it's just me and about 5 spammers who regulate this territory, I feel a false sense of security. That and the wine that's now going down like water. And the sappy music in the background.

But despite all odds, I'm still in this relationship and I haven't gone out of my way to sabotage it. I'm actually considering moving across the country with this person. And between me and you (you, you 5 spammers you), I am fucking scared about that. My fight or flight meter is off the radar right now. And it makes me want to start a silly argument about anything I can think of, just so I can tell him that I don't think we're meant to be. It makes me sick in my stomach.

Then I also remember how lucky I am to have a person in my life who asks how my day has been, reaches for my hand while we're sleeping, and has my back no matter what. I'm lucky because I have a really good friend in the person I'm dating. He's a really good person and I look up to him in a lot of ways.

The jury is still out. I don't know if this person is "the one" or not. And between me and you, I wish people would stop asking me when we're going to get married. Because I don't know if marriage is in my cards right now. If ever. But that doesn't mean that he isn't right. I don't know what it means, if I'm being honest, but I'm willing to try and figure it all out. We have really good days, and really awful days. But I guess nothing worth while comes without a lot of hard work, right?

Here's to picking up that shovel and continuing to dig, even if I don't know what I'm looking for. I'm sure I'll know when I find it.

The more I learn...

Last week I paid $10 for a palm reading. I thought it would be a fun way to spend an afternoon, but the things that I was told have been racing through my mind on repeat. I have to get them out through words so that I can find some peace and move on.

I opened the door and looked up at a very steep staircase and instantly my heart started racing and I seriously thought about turning back. But I didn't. She didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know about myself, but it was unsettling that a stranger could know so much about my deepest inner thoughts and struggles. Maybe she was spot on because what she told me could be applied to almost anyone. I'll never know - but what I do know is that the more I learn about life the more I begin to realize that I have so much left to understand.

She told me that I will live a very long life. That I will be successful in my career and that people will know my name. That the people whose lives I touch on a daily basis will forever be touched by my work. That the changes I've made in my life within the past year were exactly the changes that I needed to make.

So far, so good.

Then she shifted her body and began with "Sorry if I offend..." and I sunk deep in my chair, eyes wide... I'm sure at that moment she knew "I've got her right where I want her." I tried to smile through the knot in my stomach; not wear my emotions on my sleeve. I tried to look unfazed, but I'm sure she could tell.

She said I have been through two traumatic events in my life and that I have been through far too much suffering to be so young. She said that rather than dealing with these events, I have continued to push them deeper and deeper inside to the point that they were starting to change me. Starting to change me emotionally - by my outlook on life, hope in people that I trust - and physically - through nightmares and headaches. Both of these things are very true.

She said that I am on the wrong path and I know it, but I continue because I'm afraid to be alone with myself. That I have met my soul mate and because for some reason a connection wasn't made, our relationship didn't progress. That I will have one more chance in the future to connect with this person, and that's it.

She also mentioned some sort of health issue that was building due to my constant stress. But that it was treatable and in early stages and possibly preventable.

It was overwhelming, and I sat in my seat in silence for a moment. She asked if I wanted her to go on, and I said that I couldn't take anymore. She asked if I had questions, and I shook my head no. I brushed some tears off my cheek, clumsily stood up, and then got the hell out of there.

Some things are just too hard to hear, and I felt like she was connecting with a part of my soul that I hide from the rest of the world. I felt too exposed.

Don't get me wrong. I have a wonderful life. I am in love with my career, I have a happy home life, and the people in my life are genuine. But I do struggle with my past and it can be a stumbling block for me.

I don't know if I believe in the idea of a soul mate. There was a time that I did, but in my experience it's far more realistic and equally beautiful to find a person that forces you to grow into something bigger and better than you were before. A person that you continue to fight for and struggle with. Some one who has your back, even when there's nothing they can gain from doing so. A partner who, despite the odds, is there with you through all of the ups and downs.

I think what I took away from that whole experience was that I need to get back to the things that I love. The things that I've stopped doing or pushed aside because I've tried so hard to change the person that I was and the person who went through those hard times. The things that make me feel alive, like reading and writing and being outdoors. Feeling emotions deeply; especially the scary ones.

I need to find a way to make peace with my past. Because the past made me who I am, and the person who overcame those battles fought hard for the person that I have come to be. Fought so that I could have this second chance at this life I've created. I need to be ok with the idea that I was not the problem that needed to be fixed in those situations, but the being that needed to grow and move on. And I have. And I'm so proud of who I am, and that's exactly what I need to be remembering.

I didn't need to pay $10 to know these things. But I guess it was a not-so-subtle reminder that this life is it, and I need to keep fighting for the life I've always dreamed of.

Staying Active & Finding Encouragement

I haven't done a Workout Diary in a while now, but I wanted to let you know that I am still keeping up with my fitness goals and staying active!

 

I have completed 3 races this year and I have 3 more in my future this summer.

 

I have been getting up to run at 6am before work.

 

I continue to stay active on the weekends and eat healthy every day.

 

What makes all the difference in the world is having a support system; a group of friends who share your goal of staying active, who hold you accountable, and who cheer you on and encourage you throughout your journey.

 

 

For me, joining Pure Warrior Fitness was a turning point. It's a group of friends who is always finding ways to stay active and even though we are working hard and getting in shape, we are also having so much fun!!!

 

This weekend we walked several miles to and from the Dominion Riverrock Festival and had so much fun learning about the different outdoor activities that Virginia has to offer. This summer, we plan on doing a lot of hiking, camping, ziplineing, rock climbing, and biking.

 

 

 

 

Saturday and Sunday we watched slack-line competitions, speed climbing matches, dog-jumping contests, and listened to some great music.

 

We also explored the City and checked out some murals that we hadn't really paid attention to before.... my favorite:

 

(gotta love the James River ;)

 

 

There are so many free and fun things to do, no matter where you live. You really just have to know where to look for them!

 

 

If you are in the Richmond Area or are just looking for some online support and encouragement, check them out -

 

Facebook

 

Twitter

 

Google+

Pushing Limits

 

This weekend I participated in Rugged Maniacs, a 20+ obstacle course stretching over 3 miles. I've never done anything like this before, but I had been training for this since January and so far this has been my biggest goal of the year. My goal was to finish in an hour and to complete every single obstacle.

 

 

Two obstacles in, and I looked to Nelson and said that I thought this was above my fitness level. There were walls several feet high that you had to climb up and over, lots of barbed wire that you had to crawl under, slippery mud that you had to run through, and lots of high beams that you had to balance on.

 

 

But one by one, I knocked those obstacles out! Luckily I had an amazing partner (and an entire team!) who talked me through it all and encouraged me the entire time.

 

 

And even though it is now Wednesday and this is the first time I can actually get out of bed without feeling like I'm dying..... it was so much fun and I can't wait to continue training and to do it again next year!

 

 



And did I mention that I beat both my goals - I finished in an hour and completed every. single. obstacle.

 

Thankful.

 

I started a new job last Tuesday. I left my comfort zone of a case manager position in an office with familiar clients and a familiar desk and a job that I could do with my eyes closed. Five years I had sat at that desk and done the same things over and over and over. Now I am managing a group home for teenage girls.

 

When I interviewed for this position, I was excited about the possibility of something new. I was excited about the possibility of more responsibility and most of all the possibility of a job that didn't leave me feeling so..... bored. When I got the call that I had aced my interview and gotten the job, I was so excited that I almost cried right there at my desk.

 

And then I got really scared. Terrified of the unknown and the reality that I would be doing something that I had never really done before. I was going to be a supervisor. I was going to be in charge. People were going to be looking at me for direction. It was exciting, but scary.

 

As I laid in bed last night, I felt my stomach turn into a knot and I whispered to myself "what have I done?" Gone are the days of napping on my lunch break and not having to worry about anyone else's work getting done but my own. I am the boss now; I call the shots.

 

Change is scary, but as I walked out of my office tonight I realized that I can do this. This is the right path. I got the call back, because everything that I have done up to this point has prepared me for this moment. I am not the naïve girl who walked into her first group home and became a counselor over 6 years ago. I have grown, learned, and I am ready.

 

Life is all about taking chances and growing, growing, growing. I feel as if for the first time in my life, I am blossoming in my career and becoming the woman that I was always supposed to be. And for that, I am thankful for leaping without hesitation. I am thankful for change.

Homemade Peanut Butter, Honey, and Oat Dog Treats

 

I've been really getting into baking on Sunday's and this weekend I decided to treat my pups to some homemade dog treats. These were so easy, so cheap, and are so healthy! My dogs ate them right up and kept on begging for more...

 

(This is the original recipe)

 

I tweeked this recipe to fit what I already had laying around.... and frankly I like my version better so here goes.....

 

 

What You'll Need:

 

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3 cups quick oats (I used the instant breakfast kind... 2 packs plain, 2 packs brown sugar, 2 packs apple cinnamon)

1/3 cup agave nectar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup warm water

 

What You'll Do:

 

[one] preheat the oven to 350 degrees

[two] warm the peanut butter in the microwave for 1 minute (or until easy to stir)

[three] grind up oats in a food processor until a course flour

[four] mix everything together

[five] work the dough into a ball and roll out on a floured countertop or surface until about 1/4 inch thick

[six] cut the dough into shapes

[seven] gently transfer the shapes to a greased cookie sheet

[eight] bake for 10 minutes and then flip cookies over, bake an additional 5 minutes

[nine] let you pups eat a little of the leftover dough ;)

[ten] let cool & enjoy!

 

Weekend Re-Cap

I think everyone can agree that last week was entirely too much and by the time Friday rolled around I was totally drained emotionally. The events in Boston (and Texas) really made me question humanity as a whole and there came a point where I just stopped reading or listening to anything Boston related because it was too overwhelming.

 

On top of that,  I got some news about my god-brother that made me really sad. I donated my kidney to him 3 years ago this month (I was his second donor) and he had another transplant in August. Sadly, he contracted a virus from this donor (not her fault, most people have this virus but my god-brother just couldn't fight it off because he's so sick) and his kidney is no longer any good. He isn't able to get any more transplants because his body just can't seem to keep them for very long, and will start dialysis within the next few days. But, he can't start dialysis until his 102 degree fever goes down.

 

I know that people can live on dialysis and that he will be ok. He's young and he's a fighter so he's going to get through this. But I have this mental image of my grandfather going through dialysis when I was a little girl and every time I picture it, it brings tears to my eyes. I just remember my grandfather being so tired. And angry. I just don't want my god-brother to have to go through that.

 

So needless to say, I was ready for the weekend when 5 o'clock rolled around.

 

This weekend came at the perfect time, because I had more fun this weekend than I have in a long time!

 

I started it off Saturday morning by running Color Me Rad with my friend while Nelson volunteered. We all had so much fun!!!  I was able to beat my 5k time by about 5 minutes and so now I'm doing a consistent 12 minute miles which might not sound like much to runners, but for ME it's a huge deal! I have signed up for almost 1 5k per month for the rest of the year, so I'm excited to get even faster! Here are some pics of the race, if you've never done Color Me Rad I highly recommend it!!!!

 

 

Before:

 

After:

 

The back of my shirt:

 

And my friend Kari took this... how pretty??!?!

 

Andddd she also took this picture of my shoe:

 

After we left Color Me Rad, Nelson and I met up with some friends for Earth Day. It's festival season in Richmond, and this is honestly my favorite festival of them all! Food carts, local beer, local business tents (homemade soaps, candles, yarn, honey, etc), live music.... it's fun!

 

 

 

 

We passed out around 4:30 pm (Nelson had been up for over 48 hours at this point and I was up at 5:30 am)...... then finished off the evening with a midnight shopping trip to Walmart and pizza. Sunday I deep cleaned the apartment (I do this every week because our apartment collects so much dust) and made some chocolate banana bread (soooooo good) and we had drinks on the roof.

 

I woke up this morning and started my new routine of jogging at 6am. It was pretty hard to get out of bed, but once I was up I had so much fun jogging in the city as the run came up. It was relaxing and I feel like I have so much more energy that I usually do in the mornings, so I'm excited to continue this.

 

Alsoooooo...I got a new job! I've been talking about needing a change for almost 3 years now and I finally took the plunge! 5 years in the same office and I'm more than ready to take on more responsibility and a new environment - I start tomorrow and couldn't be more excited!!!

 

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun?

Chef Tuesday's: Crock Pot Apple Butter

 

So yeah... it's Wednesday and I've kind of dropped the ball on "Chef Tuesday's" - but I made apple butter from scratch this weekend and I just had to share this super easy recipe!

 

The original recipe that I used is from HERE but I tweaked it a little bit in hopes of making it healthier (less sugar!) and also a more manageable amount considering only 2 people live in our house and I don't have a ton of canning jars on hand. Also, I can't take credit for that awesome apple picture... my apple butter is currently in a non-cute tupperware bowl haha so click the photo and it will take you to the original source.

 

 What You'll Need

• Apples - I used about 8 small granny smith apples, because that's what we had at the time.
• 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup honey (if you don't have honey, the original recipe calls for 3 cups sugar)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 cup apple juice (or you can use water... I might use water next time because this batch came out sweeter than we wanted)

What You'll Do

• Peel the apples and slice up into small pieces (by far the most annoying and labor intensive step)
• Put all ingredients into the crock pot and stir. Cook on the lowest setting, covered, for about 7 hours
• Turn up the crock pot to high and uncover for about an hour (continually stir and keep an eye on it, so that it doesn't burn!)

THAT'S IT!!!! I seriously love my crock pot... nothing beats throwing ingredients into it and leaving it to cook on its own while you're free doing whatever you want! Do you have any good crock pot recipies? I'd love to hear!!



 

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

 

Our world can be a scary place. Things like what happened in Boston this week happen all the time all over the world and it can be so difficult to not get caught up in feelings of hate and fear. But hearing about all of the good things people are doing in midst of this tragedy are truly inspiring and make me want to reach out and be an even better person.

 

The lesson that I have been learning lately is that bad things are going to happen, even to good people, and you just have to keep pushing through and learning what you need to from the situation and then applying it to your life so that others can benefit from it.

 

Life is a constant lesson, and if you're still living you're still learning.

 

I personally get stuck in the mindset that if I'm such a good person, why do "bad things" always seem to find me? Why can't I catch a break? I think it's so important to remind myself that me being good or bad or anything in between doesn't mean that I have nothing left to learn or change about myself or my life. I am the product of all of the experiences I've had in my life, and when I think about it that way sometimes it's easier to take on the struggles that life always seems to provide.

 

I believe that we are all connected, and that although I may be struggling with things now I am only given these obsticles so that I can pass the lessons along to some one else. I hope that I can be a person who in the event of a tradgedy, reaches out my hands and provides comfort to some one else. I hope I can be that person, because I have had so many people who have been that for myself when I've needed it.

An Anniversary, A Week Early

(us almost a year ago!)

 

This weekend N and I celebrated our anniversary a week early, since he will be out of town next weekend (officially, 1 year will be April 13th). I can't believe it's already been a whole year - so many good things have happened in my life this year and he has had a lot to do with that.

 

Our original plans were to go hot air ballooning on Saturday morning and then camp in Williamsburg that night. I was really disappointed when I called the balloon place and was told that it would be too windy to go, but N quickly planned a delicious brunch out and a trip to a Ghost Tour that was happening near our campsite that evening. Holy crap... that was such an amazing idea and I had so much fun learning about the history of Williamsburg and also some creepy stories about the people who used to live there........ and maybeeeee still make an appearance every once in a while. The best part is that we still have the hot air balloon to look forward to next month, so we got to do both!

 

We spent the entire day Saturday setting up our campsite and hanging out by the fire. I love going camping when it's just the two of us, because we always have the best conversations and it's so nice spending time together without any distractions.We made bbq chicken over the fire and roasted potatoes and onions. I ate about 23457348957 marshmallows. We made goals for ourselves personally and for our relationship.

 

It really was the best weekend that I've had in a long time, and that's saying a lot because when our initial plans didn't work out I was instantly bummed and ready to cancel the whole thing. I'm so glad that I didn't and that we were able to spend that time together. I'm so lucky that I am with a person who is so supportive of me and my life goals, and who is not only my boyfriend but my teammate and best friend. My man really is my personal super-hero and protector and I am so in love with him - every day I am more and more thankful of who he is and all of the things that he does for me.

 

~

Five Facts About High School Kara

So a big shout out to Mucho Mucho Bueno Beuno for inspiring me today with this post. I didn't really have anything good to blog about this morning.... but now I do!

 

//Five Facts About High School Kara//

 

 

[one] I took Spanish, French, and Latin. Latin was my favorite.

[two] My favorite class was English and I always read the books assigned multiple times.

[three] I wanted to be a writer and never thought I'd be working a regular 9 to 5.

[four] I was on the swim team and I also rock-climbed.

[five] I never drank or smoked or really partied....... until college.

 

 



A Very Richmond Weekend

I have been such a bad blogger. I guess I've just been busy living life rather than writing about it... and in my opinion, that's a very good problem to have.

 

Just a little picture from bike week. We had so much fun - 80 degree's and sunny and we had a condo right on the beach. Gahhh can I just brag about our view for a minute....

Nothing can beat this! I can't wait for summer and more beach trips!

 

Anyway, this weekend Nelson's cousin and his friend came to visit from New York. Some people like to complain about how boring Richmond is... but I'm sorry, people who say those things obviously don't know where to look for fun ;)

 

We started off the weekend with a trip to Maymont Park. The weather was perfect and all of the baby animals were out for spring... if you're ever in the area, I highly recomend coming to Maymont for a fun and free afternoon.

 

After a day of walking, we hit up Carey Town Burgers & Fries - my favorite place for burgers in the whole entire Universe. I got cheese fries and a classic cheese burger - sorry there are no pictures, we pretty much inhaled everything! One of the guys ordered the Flying Squirrel... which is a hamburger with peanut butter on it! I don't know if I'm that brave... but it actually looked really good.

 

We then obviously went to Yapple Yogurt. Again, I fat kid hoarded mine before any pictures could be taken.

 

Saturday we went the the Poe Museum, which has been on my Richmond bucket list for about 3 years now. This was such a great time.. only $6 and they had so many cool things that he owned or hand wrote.... again, you really need to see it if you're ever in town. I think my favorite part was this really cool comic display of the Tell Tale Heart...

 

Andddd Sunday we went to Godfrey's. If you live in or near Richmond, you've heard of our favorite Drag Brunch and I can honestly say I've been twice and the show never dissapoints!

I don't think I ever sing as loud as I do at this brunch and I'm such the mimosa's are partly to blame. We hung out with the Queen's a little after the show and it was suuuuch a blast.

 

...

 

So that's what I've been up to lately. I'm going to try to be a better blogger this month... I have an anniversary coming up and several furniture projects that I definintly want to brag about.

 

What's your favorite thing about where you live?

 

Friday Favorites

Is it just me, or has this week been dragging? I've been gearing up for a beach vacay next week, so maybe that's part of it............................................. and maybe it's just because let's all face it, we live for the weekend.

 

It's been a few weeks of slacking, but without further adieu here are my favorite things on the internet this week.



 

I can't wait to leave for Bike Week next Wednesday! Daytona Beach... I'm ready for you!

 

<3 This is such a great reminder about love and protecting your family no matter what.

 

Probably the best textbook doodle ever..

 

 

Such a great quote...

 

//Great Swimsuits: Here Here Here Here

 

//I'm really loving the idea behind Backyard Produce and I'm signing up next month. Check out their online market... everything looks so yummy and you can't beat having it delivered to your door!

 

//I'm loving this blog post about the perfect Romantic Getaway Outfit.

 

//I love this article on 9 Things Every Person Should Do Alone. I've done 5 on this list and kind of want to try the other 4... but can you imagine traveling alone?! I don't know if I'm brave enough for that one...

 

//I love this response to the Taylor Swift vs. Tina Fey/Amy Pohler "feud".

 

and finally...

 

 

This song has been on repeat all week. Say what you like, but Rhianna's my girl!

 

What have you been loving this week?

I'm Choosing To Love My Body

Today was an emotional day for me. Every morning I leave my desk, change into an old tee, my yoga pants, and sneakers, and run for 3 miles. Some days are harder than others, some days I feel like I'm really kicking ass, and other days (like today) it's not even about running at all.

 

I've always had body issues. I know, I know. Join the club - isn't that part of being a woman in America... hating your body? Each day I start my morning examining every single dimple and bulge and flaw and I end my day re-examining and hating even more. It's exhausting. And furthermore, if another person dared to speak to me the way that I speak to myself I don't think that I would continue being around them.

 

In middle school I dated a boy for an entire year even though he was abusive. I ate saltines for lunch and I believed him when he told me that nobody would ever love me except for him, because I was ugly.

 

Even though I wore a size 0-2 jeans throughout high school, I still allowed people to make fun of my body, I still starved myself, and the hatred for my body continued to grow.

 

In college I abused my body by flooding it with alcohol and other drugs. I punished myself for every calorie that I "over-indulged" in. I took diet pills and settled on a certain way of life with certain people because... I was ugly.

 

I started exercising on a regular basis this year, because I was tired. Tired of hating my body, tired of allowing people to abuse my body, and tired of settling on unhealthy people because I didn't think I deserved any better. Not too long ago, I was having dinner with a close girlfriend and I said to myself "she's too pretty to be hanging out with you." I began thinking that I was embarrassing people because I was the "fat girl" in the group. I hated taking pictures because I didn't want to be reminded of how ugly I was or how fat I had gotten. I cringed when my boyfriend would grab my waste because "how could he love this body?".

 

I hope that as you are reading this, you are thinking how immature and idiotic this all sounds. I am not extremely overweight and even if I were, the people in my life are not there simply because of my pants size. My boyfriend doesn't date me because I can still fit into clothes at Forever21 or American Eagle. My friends don't enjoy my company because I count calories and restrict my diet. All of this negativity that has become so routine in my life has nothing to do with my body type. It has everything to do with myself and the journey that I need to complete not for anyone else, but for myself. The most important person in my whole entire world.

 

At first I started exercising because I was unhappy with the way that I looked. I was weighing myself on a daily basis, and if I wasn't losing 2 pounds a week you guessed it... I punished myself by cutting down every single flaw (real or imagined) and reminding myself that I just wasn't worth it.

 

But then it was really weird, because something a few weeks ago began to change. I stopped weighing myself and started running for a different reason - because I was pushing myself and seeing improvements in my health and in my endurance. I noticed that if I wanted to run a certain distance without stopping, I could push myself and I would achieve it. I noticed that if I chose to eat healthy meals and became more aware of what I was putting into my body, that I felt better and had more energy (also my daily headaches disappeared, added bonus!).

 

And then today, I was able to run outside for a much longer distance than I expected and rather than cutting myself down I whispered "You did it! You ran further than you thought you could! You're getting so much better!" Those words came out so naturally from my lips, and right there I realized that I wasn't doing this for anyone else anymore. I realized that I'm taking time out of my day to be healthy because I want that for myself and I deserve it.

 

It's so corny to say all of this out loud, but that positivity about my own body coming out so freely was overwhelming. I stopped for a moment and allowed myself to fill up with that positivity, and then I kept on pushing myself and running all the way back to my office. You see, it's not work anymore - it's finally, almost 3 months later, become a lifestyle that I commit to because I want to be healthy and for once it's all about me. It has nothing to do with anyone else, and that feels so good because it's been such a long time coming.

 

So I'm not going to allow myself to talk negatively about my body anymore because I wouldn't let anyone else talk to me that way. I don't care about the number on a scale, because no matter what that number is it does not change my worth as an individual. I'm going to start loving myself and treating myself like my very best friend... because if I don't love myself, why should I expect others to?

 

I think that women who are proud of their bodies are sometimes looked down upon in our society, and I'm over that. I'm sick of it being "okay" to hate your body. Hell - I love my body. My body can run several miles outside without stopping. My body gets me to and from work every morning and throughout every second of the day. My body gave up a kidney several years ago so that some one else's body could survive. My body can sing, and dance, and rest, and jump, and swim. I have a sexy ass!!! I can do anything with my body that I work for. And for that, I love my body.



A Homey Weekend & Projects For Spring

I haven't been very good about blogging on a regular basis. I would appologize, but I think my 2 followers and random spammers will forgive me.... just this once?! ;)

 

I guess life has just gotten in the way, and in my opinion that's a very good thing.

 

I have been working really hard on some goals at work, one of which is seeing my clients more. I am a social worker and with that comes a lot of paperwork. I'm trying to balance that out and see my clients more and more each month, so things have been busy. One day my hope is that I will be selling furniture full time and taking care of a family, however that is several years down the road and so for now I need to find joy in my job. It's not easy... but spending more time with clients and less time at my desk seems to help.

 

I've also continued to work out several days a week during my lunch break. Recently, I've started jogging outside and I'm really loving that. It's a totally different workout than jogging on the treadmill, and as sick as it sounds I really enjoy how sore my legs feel after jogging up and down hills for an hour! This weekend I took my dogs out for a morning jog, and I'm looking forward to continuing that because they really seemed to love it. Also, I'm going to Daytona, Florida next week... 8 days! I can't wait! I'll be in Daytona for 5 days and I can't even explain how much needed this vacation is and how excited I am to see the beach. My goal is to start doing sit ups every day and that is my main motivator right now. I also have another race coming up next month and I'm really looking forward to that.

 

This weekend I deep cleaned my apartment and I'd have to admit that nothing relaxes me more. I'm a neat freak, and unfortunantly I had let the apartment get much dirtier that I would like and it was stressing me out... so I spent a few hours on Friday, most of Saturday, and a few days on Sunday scrubbing every single inch of our livinig space, re-organizing, and getting rid of things that we no longer use. My next goal is to sell most of our dishes and start fresh. I want to buy all vintage and I want them to match (not perfectly, but the colors need to go together... right now I'm really into milk glass and pea-green).

 

 

I also baked, which is another way that I de-stress. I used THIS recipe and added chocolate chips (and also sprinkled the top with brown sugar) - the. best. banana bread. everrrrr! I also made a second loaf only instead of adding bananas I cooked up the filling for my famous apple pie and threw that into the batter. Let's just say my boyfriend refuses to share this one..... it was goooood. And if all of this wasn't enough to combat my diet... I made homemade apple turnovers. I had fun in the kitchen to say the least...... but now that the weekend is over, it's time to get back on track and eat healthier!

 

Since we have decided to wait another year before we move (west coast baby! so far we're debating on Washington State and California! andddd I'm also obsessing over New Mexico!), I'm focusing on creating a calming home environment and really getting into do-it-yourself projects. So far I've decided that I want to make wine-bottle tumbler glasses and I also want to re-finish a kitchen table that we inherited yesterday. It's just a typical table, but it needs a little TLC.... one of the chairs is broken, and currently it's painted a dark green. I'm excited to start sanding it down and can't wait to look at paint colors. So look forward to that process, because I'll be posting pictures once it's complete!

 

Anyway, those are my plans for now. I'm considering making a youtube channel and putting up some cooking videos... but we will see how that turns out!

 

That's all for now... enjoy your week!

 



Accomplishing Goals

 

Exercise to stimulate, not to annihilate. The world wasn't formed in a day, and neither were we. Set small goals and build upon them.

 

Lee Haney

Sorry for the silence around here last week. I was at home with the flu.... and although I knew it was bound to happen (who hasn't been sick this year?!), it didn't make it any easier. So today I'm playing catch up at work which isn't fun at all - but I wanted to share some of my fitness goals that I accomplished this weekend!

This weekend I finished my first 10k of the year. I have been training for this race since last month and I wasn't going to let anything stand in my way of finishing. Not even the flu (which thank goodness was only a sore throat and a runny nose by Saturday). It was probably the single most physically exhausting thing that I've ever done in my whole life. And I know that sounds dramatic, but when you can't breathe and you've been laying on a couch all week..... 6 miles is a lot. Heck, 6 miles is a lot period... and thank you mother nature for also adding snow, sleet, and rain to the mix.

But I did it. And I finished in an hour and 25 minutes.

Honestly, I've never been more proud of myself. And every time I seem to push myself physically - I survive and really surprise myself. It may sound stupid, but what really helps me get through is by talking to myself and reminding myself that "This isn't going to kill you. Keep pushing through and you are going to come out stronger." And guess what....... I haven't died yet!

I've run 10k's before, but this is the hardest I've pushed myself and the fastest I've ever finished. And it's really inspired me to continue pushing and to set new goals. I learned a few things this weekend that will help with my training (the biggest is that running on a treadmill is NOT the same as running outside!) and my newest goal is to wake up every Saturday morning and run 6 miles before starting my day. I want to keep improving my time, and the next 10k that I race in I want to finish in 1 hour flat. It's a big goal.... but I can handle it!

Anddddd I had another goal that I set for myself in November - it was to fit into a pair of "skinny jeans" that I bought a size too small (on accident). Guess who fit into those bad boys this weekend?!?!

All of this is simply to say that when you set goals and work hard, you can accomplish them. And it feels really incredible when you do!

What goals do you have in your life lately?