Jam-Packed Fun

Yay for Hump Day! We are half way through the work week! Alright, I hope you aren’t sick of this yet because I am almost done filling you in on the California trip.

Day #3: Sunday morning began with an awesome breakfast on the beach at The Beachcomber Cafe which is located on the same beach that we walked on the previous day, Crystal Cove. Brandon had made reservations for us a couple of days in advance because it is such a popular place. Even with reservations we still had to wait about 10 minutes, which was obviously no big deal. We are on the beach after all, so nothing is a big deal and we had a beautiful ocean view to gaze at while we waited.

It was a little chilly oceanside this morning, but we were  nice and cozy inside the restaurant. The restaurant is fairly open, but they do have a screen up to keep out some unwanted birdies and block a little bit of the wind. They also had heat lamps and even blankets! We all ordered coffee right away as we waited for our food.

Brandon, Will, and Dana

And then this piece of heaven was delivered to me. Macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup. I was a happy camper.

Next stop was the Farmer’s Market. This was my second trip to heaven of the day. Not only did they have an abundance of fresh produce, they also had so many great samples out! Not that I really needed more food at this point, but this was such a great opportunity for me to try a few new things. I tried persimmons and pommelos for the first time,  and sampled a cara cara orange, fresh raspberry, and really great flavored balsamic vinegar. They also had a bunch of veggies of course, bread from a local bakery, and more.

They had a handful of food trucks parked there which are becoming so popular! We didn’t get the whole food truck experience this time but we were at least able to walk by them and see what they look like. I know Dana has eaten at a food truck here in MN, but I haven’t yet, so it was fun for me to see them.

After the farmer’s market, we headed to Balboa Island which is a sweet little town in Newport beach. We walked the sidewalks and saw some very interesting homes. Each home had so much personality. One house could have a completely modern look, where the next has a Tuscan look, and then the next a standard all-American looking home with a white picket fence. I loved seeing all of these homes and seeing all of the beautiful landscaping in their “yards.”

We sat by the beach for a while and soaked up the feeling of the warm sun on our skin. I miss that feeling! It’s been since October or so since I’ve felt the wonderful warm sun like that.

Across the way from us is what I believe to be the actual “island.” You can take a ferry over to the other side where they have a ferris wheel, restaurants, a large beach and more. We decided not to do that this time.

We had another island to get to. Fashion Island! Fashion Island is an outdoor mall in Orange County which offers a variety of designer stores and specialty boutiques. We did a lot of window shopping and people watching. I didn’t end up buying anything while I was there, and I realized while I was there that I am really not very fashionable. I have always known that I am not a “fashionista”, but it really hit me as I was looking at the clothing designs in these shops, not liking anything I saw, and knowing that these were considered fashionable items, how much I was lacking in the style department. Oh well! I guess everyone will have to accept me for who I am, sweatpants and all. 🙂

On our way to fashion island, we made a pit-stop at a local cafe for a quick bite to eat. I was in serious need of veggies, so I decided on the cobb salad piled high with lettuce, sprouts, tomato, cucumber, egg, and turkey and ham.

It was healthy and fresh, and helped me replenish my vegetable status for the day. After we walked around the shops for a while, I was exhausted, and really wanted to just go back to Brandon’s and relax. Considering I was the lead decision maker this weekend (kidding), we headed back home to relax. Dana and I packed up our stuff, and showered and then the men got to making dinner a few hours later.

For dinner, we decided just to make fajitas at home. I was getting a little tired of eating out at restaurants and I think everyone else was too. It was a good executive decision. Take a look at Chef Dana in action. He cooks, he cleans, I am one lucky woman!

In no time, these healthy delicious fajitas were ready to enjoy.

We spent the rest of the evening watching the Oscar’s and hanging out. It was pretty neat watching the Oscar’s knowing that we were so close to the action, and because we had seen some of the outside setup on Friday when we were in Hollywood! Alas, it was time to head to the airport for our red-eye flight. We were hoping to spot some celebrities heading home after the Oscar’s, but we had no such luck. I was however able to do some quick exercises while we waited for our flight. I looked like a fool, but I did lunges, tricep dips, and even threw a few burpees in there. I was “that” girl at the airport. Like I said, like me for who I am, sweatpants and lunges at the airport, and all. 😉

We were kind of tired and I was completely slap happy at this point. Two flights, and one layover including one almost missed plane, and we were home.

Thanks for letting me relive my California trip with you all! I had such a great time as you can tell. We had a jam packed trip full of great food, friends, and wonderful sights. Dalynn, once again thank you for hanging out with us and letting us stay with you Friday, and Brandon thank you for being so great to us and showing us around! I hope to see you both again soon!

Can’t wait for our next Vaca! Back to reality for now and back to getting my diet and exercise routine on track again!

Have a great day!

Continue Reading Jam-Packed Fun

Prada, Gucci, and Larry King

Good morning! Wow, each time I am away from home and come back from being away I remember just how much I love my bed! It hugged me tight last night and didn’t let go until the morning. I was so tired and still kind of am. It usually takes me a couple of nights of sleep to recover from vacation.

Continuing on from yesterday’s post which would bring us to Day #2 in California. Considering we went to bed at 9:30 pm Friday night, we were both wide awake at 6:15 Saturday morning. We took advantage of being up early and got ready to head out for the day. We said our goodbye’s to Dalynn and goodbye to Hollywood and headed out toward Rodeo Drive.

On our way we stopped at a Farmer’s Market area to search for a place to eat breakfast. We ended up going to a little Bakery and Cafe called Du-par’s, which originated in Vegas and has been around for a while. I believe it is still in Vegas, but LA now has one as well. It has an old school feel; the waitresses even wear the old-fashioned bonnet type hats, and they make coffee from a large, old brass- colored coffee maker.

The menu was simple and classic. I settled for two eggs over easy and hash browns. The meal also came with whole wheat toast and  their homemade jam. We tried both strawberry and raspberry and both were delicious. We also drank a couple cups of joe on the side.

After breakfast we continued on our way to Rodeo Drive. We parked our hot mustang at a meter and started walking the ritzy sidewalks. We got there fairly early so it was nice and quiet and peaceful while we were there. We passed Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Harry Winston, Jimmy Choo, Prada, and more. I bought something at each and every store. 🙂 Ha. I couldn’t hardly even afford to look through the windows of these stores much less step foot in them and buy something. I would have felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and there is no question about that (especially in my athletic apparel that I was sporting that morning).

As we were walking along the sidewalks, we had our one and only celebrity sighting of the whole trip. I walked past a man and did a double take. I smiled at him, he smiled back. It wasn’t until I passed him that I realized it was Larry King. I got my celebrity spotting that I was hoping for! I was pretty jazzed up about it too. I’m a little bit of a dork like that.

We wrapped up at Rodeo Drive and headed to Newport Beach to meet up with my friend (since middle school), Brandon, who is going to grad school at University of California, Irvine. His parents live in Newport Beach and we stayed at their home for the rest of the trip. They have a gorgeous place and were so accommodating and gracious.

We got to their house around noon and then waited for our other high school friend, Will, to arrive, before we headed to the beach. Brandon drove us over to Crystal Cove in Newport Beach and we walked barefoot in the sand under the warm sun. It was so serene and beautiful and I loved every second of our walk.

Brandon managed to get stung by a bee in the process of the walk which was really funny to me at the time (sorry Brandon). The bee got him in the bottom of the foot but that didn’t stop him. We kept on truckin’!

After the walk we headed back home to get cleaned up and grab some lunch/snacks: homemade guacamole, fresh strawberries, veggie chips, etc.

A few hours later we were heading out towards Laguna Beach to a bar called the Rooftop which overlooks the ocean and has a great view of the sunset. It was very pretty! We stayed there only for a little while before heading out to dinner in Newport Beach at the Bear Flag Fish Company. They are very well-known for their fish tacos and I can understand why!

You step in to the joint and the place is packed. In the front there is a closed glass deli case filled with about 10 different fresh fish filets. You chose your fish and place your order at the front. In about 20 minutes or so they make your fish of choice into a grilled blackened fish taco. I chose the Opah and was extremely happy with my decision. Seriously, check this out.

Fresh grilled opah, cabbage, jalapeno, cilantro, tomato, some really good cream sauce, and a squirt of lime juice over the top. I also ordered a side of black beans because I like black beans. These tacos were incredible! I would recommend this place to everyone! The prices were very reasonable too considering the amount of food you got and the freshness of the fish and ingredients.

Dana ordered a grilled artichoke as an appetizer which was also very good. I snagged a couple bites of that green goodness. I want to make artichokes on the grill at home!

After dinner we decided just to head home and relax on their outdoor patio. We called it an early night again and hit the hay around 10:00 pm! Once again, wild and crazy! One more day to share with you and then you will be all caught up!

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A little off-subject food news to share with you. I cooked with Tempeh for the first time last night! I will be talking more about it later but wanted to give you a sneak peek! Pasta with Tempeh marinara. It was GOOD!

 

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Anyone have any fun celebrity sighting experiences to share?

Continue Reading Prada, Gucci, and Larry King

Roll Out the Red Carpet

Hello friends! How was everyone’s weekend? We just got in after our red eye flight home from California. It is cold here! I was hoping it would magically turn warm while I was gone and we would jump right into Spring. A girl can dream. Anyway, I have lots to update you with so I figure I will have to do this in stages otherwise it will be too overwhelming for me. Here we go!

Friday morning we flew (on first class!) into Los Angeles, California with one layover in Dallas. The flights were smooth, I read some of my book, Women’s Health Magazine, watched an episode of Whitney, and ate pretty good food! We ate breakfast and lunch on the plane. Carb city for breakfast. Out of this schmorgousboard of food I ate the bagel and the berries, and saved the banana for a mid-morning snack.

I also made sure to keep chugging my water throughout the flights. It is so easy to get dehydrated on flights and I almost always feel pretty nasty after a flight. I always bring my big CamelBak water bottle and just fill it up once I get past security (since you can’t have more than 3 oz of liquids). It works well and helps me keep track of how much water I am drinking. Plus, it saves me from having to spend $2 or whatever it is for bottled water and more eco-friendly too.

A few hours later it was time for lunch which began with warmed mixed nuts. Num! My favorites were the pistachios for sure.

Next the main course which was a grilled chicken salad which had some type of sauce on it that tasted like salsa but I’m not 100% sure what it was. Anyway, mixed greens with grilled chicken, jicama, tomato, black beans, corn, and blue cheese crumbles. Yup, on the airplane. American Airlines did a good job! On the side was tortilla strips to go on the salad which I vetoed, and Stacy’s pita chips with Tribe hummus. It just kept getting better and better; so healthified!

A tiny bit of a torturous moment was after lunch, there was a waft of a scent of warm cookies that floated by us. We both looked at eachother and said “ah man, cookies.” We did not give in even though they smelt wonderful. That was temptation #1 of the trip.

When we arrived to LAX airport we headed to pick up our rental car from Avis. We didn’t know what car we would be getting, we just knew it would be small because that is what we requested. We get to the front desk and the clerk says, “would you guys be okay with a Mustang?” Really? Haha. Was not expecting that but, why not!

And there she is. The silver bullet (not to be confused with Coors Light). Once we found the 405 we headed out towards Hollywood area. It was beautiful outside when we arrived; about 65° at the airport, and as we headed towards Hollywood the temp crept all the way up to 86°! It was a crazy temperature change. We headed to Griffith Park which overlooks the city and gives you a great view of the Hollywood sign. They also had a visitor’s center which was perty.

I was loving the feeling of sun on my skin. I could have laid down right on that sidewalk and taken a nap. Besides the warmth of the sun, it was also so nice to see green everywhere! Back home in Minnesota it is pretty gray and dull right now. I soaked up the views and we headed out to meet up with our friend, Dalynn who lives in Hollywood. She lives just a couple of minutes away from the Kodak theater and we stayed at her apartment the first night.

I am so upset I didn’t get a picture of Dalynn for this post! I couldn’t believe it! We met up and headed to a bar to relax for a bit with a couple of her friends. On our way to the bar we walked down the street to the area where the Oscar’s were going to be taking place two days from then (last night). Although most of it was blocked off it was still neat to see the area where all the stars would be and to imagine them filing in on the red carpet in their Prada, Gucci, what have you.

I was imagining Brad Pitt and George Clooney looking so studly in their Armani suits smiling for the millions of fans. Very neat!

For dinner this first night we headed to a Mexican restaurant called Loteria Grill. I ordered the Burrito Calabacitas which is made up of zucchini and roasted corn succotash, salsa verde, onion, cilantro, queso fresco, and beans and rice.

Oh geez, good thing I was hungry! That thing was mammoth-sized! Dana had shrimp tacos and Dalynn had the Chilaquiles. Everyone loved their food. After dinner we kicked around what we wanted to do. Dana and I were exhausted from our 3:30 am wake-up call that morning and were hardly functioning at this point so we actually decided to call it an early night and were sleeping by 9:30 pm. Yup, in Hollywood. We are pretty crazy aren’t we?! I mean really, we need to settle down because we are getting ridiculous. 😉 I was so happy to sleep. I wanted to be well-rested so I could be fully re-energized for the next days ahead!

So there you have it. Day Numero Uno. It was awesome! Dalynn, it was so great to see you and thank you again for letting us stay at your place! Hope you can make it back to MN in the near future.

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Random off subject note: We did not make it into Grandma’s Half Marathon lottery. We are pretty disappointed but there is nothing we can do about it so we are thinking it happened for a reason and it wasn’t meant to be. However, we WILL still be running the Minneapolis Half Marathon in the beginning of June so we are very pumped for that! Now we just need Spring to roll around so we can really kick training into high gear! Yeeahh!

So happy to be back. California day two, coming up next! We may have spotted a celebrity btw! Be sure to check in later gators.

Continue Reading Roll Out the Red Carpet

And We’re Off

“I hopped off the plane at LAX, with a dream and my cardigan…”  We are officially California bound baby and yes I just quoted Miley Cyrus! So what? I am pumped. I’m still hoping to can spot some celebs, but more than anything I am just very excited to get away and see some friends.

Aww, Kate I wish you were going to be there too. 🙂

First things first, a little recap from yesterday. I could not quite capture the deliciousness of this salad but I will still share the photo to give you some idea of what into my belly at lunch.

I wasn’t quite sure of how this would turn out because I was literally just tossing items into the mix that I had on hand that I thought might blend well together in a salad.

In the mix:

  • raw kale
  • chopped walnuts
  • feta cheese
  • two clementines, peeled and segmented
  • Craisins
  • balsamic vinegar

At first bite I still wasn’t sure what I thought of it, but I kept mixing and kept eating and eventually came to the realization that I really enjoyed this mix. It’s packed full of superfoods and vitamins too! For lunch I also ate a banana, apple, and carrots. Crazy veggie intake I know. I like to really fill up on them before a vacation because I don’t know what my intake will be like while I am away.

For dinner, I wanted to try and use up some of our perishable items in the fridge. I steamed a whole lot of broccoli, topped it with cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper, and threw an egg on top with some mustard, and called it a dinner. I’m so sorry you have to witness yet another runny egg. I have been in such a kick with this egg bit. It’s probably getting old but it is just so tasty and such an easy way to get some protein into a meal.

Here’s a couple of not very attractive photos.

K, seriously ugly photos but seriously delicious. If I haven’t convinced you to try runny eggs over veggies, I will. I won’t give up on it.

Alright, I am out! I will do my best to keep you updated on the trip but can’t make any promises! Either way I will catch you up at some point. Happy Friday everyone!

Continue Reading And We’re Off

Love My Runny Eggs

Today is my last day of work before VACATION! Friday morning Dana and I will be on our way to sunny California and I am beyond ecstatic! I am even excited for the flight over there because I plan to read, eat, and relax. Moose is a little bummed he can’t come with us. He’s always wanted to see LA. 😉

I need to get to L.A. if I'm ever going to catch my big break.

Guess what I did this morning!?

I actually got up early, out of my warm heavenly bed, and got a run in on the treadmill! I have been terrible about getting morning workouts in lately, but I figured this morning was the only time for me to do it because we have a laundry list of things to do tonight to get ready for our trip! Plus my friend who is extremely dedicated to morning workouts texted me an encouraging message this morning to help get me out of bed. She is amazing. 🙂 Thanks a million!

More good news, I didn’t have any knee discomfort today. Whatever was causing the discomfort the other day has completely subsided which I am very thankful for.

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Tuesday Recap

I really loaded up my bowl for yesterday morning’s breakfast. Besides the usual fruit, yogurt, and cereal, I also added in a small handful of chopped walnuts and extra yogurt for more “staying” power. This baby held me over until lunch.

Since it was Ash Wednesday, we were supposed to fast in between meals. I found that this is extremely difficult for me because I am a “small meals throughout the day” kind of person versus a three meals that’s it person. I always have breakfast, sometimes a snack around 10 but usually not, lunch always, piece of fruit or small snack mid-afternoon, dinner, and then a snack before bed. Yesterday I stuck with just breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and my body was upset with me almost the entire day. Oh well, it was just one day!

After work I met Dana for Ash Wednesday mass. Day one of no sweets was a good one. My body is seriously unhappy with me after all the sweets I have eaten lately. It is thanking me for a break. I feel out of balance and it’s time to get back in balance.

I went for a walk on the treadmill when I got home. I have been a little lazy when it comes to actually making the trip to the gym, which is only 7 minutes away BTW. I honestly feel that the laziness is associated with the sugary diet lately. It is amazing how quickly you can begin to feel a slide.

Dinner was veggie-filled. I sautéed up a bunch of veggies from the fridge including this little cute eggplant that I had bought at Whole Foods last weekend. It’s just a little babe!

I also threw in leftover fajita filling from last night’s dinner, broccoli, mushrooms, kale,with a little garlic powder, salt and pepper, and topped the warm dish with diced tomato, shredded cheese, and of course, a runny egg. I love my runny eggs.

Delicious and satisfying as always. The rest of the night was dedicated to one last load of laundry, and relaxing while watching Modern Family and Whitney! Wednesday night is our “big” night of shows! No packing was done last night which means tonight will be a fun-filled packing extravaganza. I really don’t like packing. I always pack WAY too much because I never know what I will need!

I am off to work! Have a Happy Thursday!

Continue Reading Love My Runny Eggs

Fat Tuesday? It sure was.

Happy Hump Day!

How ironic that I ended up having a complete bottomless pit stomach yesterday on Fat Tuesday. Huh, funny. I didn’t snap photos of all of my food yesterday because quite frankly I would have had to glue the camera to my hand. My day started off with a nice patriotic looking bowl of fruit and greek yogurt.

Btw if you are wondering, I typically buy FAGE (pronounced Fa-yeh) Total 0% all natural non fat greek strained yogurt.

Quick Nutrition Facts (Per 1 cup):

  • 130 calories
  • 0 g fat
  • 85 mg sodium
  • 9 g carbohydrate
  • 9 g sugar
  • 23 whopping grams of protein!
  • 25% daily value of calcium

It’s obvious I really enjoy my yogurt sweetened with a little honey and mixed with a ton of fruit, but it can also be used as a substitute for sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, etc. We have been going through it pretty quickly around our house.

I worked until 1:00 yesterday so I had packed some snacks to tide me over until I got home for lunch. I packed a string cheese, apple, carrots, sugar snap peas, and a banana. I ripped through those snacks like it was no ones business and also had an Archer Farm’s fruit strip on the car ride home. I was going to go to the gym and then eat when I got home but I couldn’t make it. I needed MORE FOOOOOODD! I was like a tornado whipping through the kitchen. I immediately sliced off a piece of bread and slathered it in pb and J. I scarfed that down then headed to the pantry for a few handfuls of Special K blueberry cereal. I wanted more but decided I needed to cool it for a bit, especially if I was planning to get any sort of a workout in.

My intentions were to go for a run on the treadmill. I started running but noticed a little pain in the outside of my left knee cap. I tried to keep running thinking I was just warming up and it would go away, but it didn’t. I turned my run into a 45 minute walk and then cranked out some abs and planks. I hope the pain goes away soon. I think it will.

Anyway…back to the snacks again. I wanted to share with you this new hummus that we bought (new to me at least). It is Cedar’s Artichoke Kalamata Hommus. Oh wow, I can’t begin to describe how good this stuff is but I’ll try. It is creamy and slightly salty with a hint of olive flavor and tiny specks of artichoke. Perfect to dip crackers, veggies, or pita chips. If you ever see this stuff in your grocery store, give it a go.

Now, where was I going with this post? Oh yes, dinner last night! My long-time friend, Kalley came over for dinner last night. We’ve been friends since the 8th grade. Back in the day we passed notes, gossiped about our biggest crushes, and danced and sang to N’sync and Britney Spears. Hmm, come to think of it, not much has changed. 😉 Except now we are passing texts, talking about husbands and real significant boyfriends, and still dancing and singing to JT (although I still have love for Britney too).

Homecoming 2001 (Me, Jules, and Kalley)
Ellen's Wedding 2010

It had been way too long since we had gotten together so we decided to hang out in our comfies and make dinner together. On the menu was veggie fajitas, guacamole and a whole lot of catching up!

Fajitas:

  • bell peppers
  • onions
  • corn
  • pinto beans
  • fajita seasoning (chili powder, cumin, black pepper, salt, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder)
  • whole wheat tortillas
Kalley’s Guacamole:
  • avocados
  • red onion
  • lime juice
  • lemon juice
  • cilantro
  • salt and pepper

It was SO great catching up! Also, thanks for the books! I started reading Firefly Lane last night. Thanks for coming over Kal!

After Kalley left, Dana and I had our last dessert before lent and it was a good one. Coldstone ice cream (cake batter ice cream with brownies and other goodies) and a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

No.more.sweets.

Just noticed the time. I still need to finish getting ready for work!I am out! Happy day!

Continue Reading Fat Tuesday? It sure was.

When in Rome

Wow, I really enjoyed having the day off yesterday. I went to the gym and did a 20 minute warmup on the elliptical before hitting some weights. I focused on biceps mostly.

  • 3×10 lat pull downs (60 lbs but then progressed to 75 for one set)
  • 4×10 push-ups
  • 3×10 bicep curls (20 lbs)
  • 3×10 seated incline press

Then I needed to head out because I had errands to run including a trip to TJMaxx before driving over to meet mom at my Grandpa’s house. It was great to visit with mom and Grandpa, and mom had brought Miss Abbie along as well. Abbie absolutely loves Grandpa and it is the cutest thing ever. I think he really enjoys when she comes over, plus she is a little vacuum cleaner and gets every last crumb that may have fallen. I hung out with them for a bit and then headed home to finish up some laundry and clean a little.

Lunch was a whole lot of snacks here and there (not all snacks captured):

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For dinner we had plans to meet up with our Priest, Father Mike, at Chianti Grill, which is a great local Italian restaurant. The inside of the restaurant has a very cozy feeling with a red, tan and brown theme throughout, along with the lighting, decorations, and fire place. What made it even more cozy was when we were at dinner, it started snowing outside. It was beautiful. I had the spinach and mushroom ravioli with red sauce and basically licked my plate clean. We also got a delicious mixed green salad with house balsamic.

Besides wanting to catch up on what’s new in eachother’s lives since the wedding, Father Mike also really wanted to hear about our trip to Italy, most specifically, getting blessed by the Pope in Rome.

Backtracking to pre-wedding…we met up with Father Mike to talk wedding plans, ceremony decisions, etc., and we got to talking about our honeymoon plans. As soon as he found out we were going to be in Rome, he asked us if we were planning to to go to see the Pope, for a blessing as part of the papal audience in Vatican City. We told him that we were absolutely planning on it. Father Mike then proceeded to tell us about a blessing for newleyweds. He said that there is a special blessing for newleyweds (I believe within 1 or 2 months of getting married) and it required a formal invitation. As soon as we showed our enthusiasm for this amazing opportunity, Father Mike contacted the appropriate members of the Vatican and requested formal invitation for us to attend. He needed to send them some basic information about us, and got it all set up. All that was left for us to do was bring a copy of our marriage certificate from the church, our I.D.’s of course, and pick up our tickets the day before the blessing when we were in Rome.

We were informed before we left for our vacation that one of the requirements of this newleywed blessing was that the couple needed to wear wedding attire. My initial plan was to lug my big wedding dress out there but decided against it and went to a consignment shop to buy a lighter dress instead. I wore a cardigan because it was required that shoulders be covered. Picture in St. Peter’s Square when we arrived. We had to arrive a couple of hours early hence the lack of people present at this point.

Our seats were unbelievable.

There he is seated in his chair and giving blessings to different groups of visitors. We were about 20 yards away. We couldn’t believe we were that close to Pope Benedict XVI! It was a very surreal moment for us. When he was all done with his blessings he walked back towards his mini automobile, which was back our way a little bit. He gave a wave and Dana captured such an amazingly priceless photo! Isn’t that truly amazing?!

He drove around and then did one more final good-bye wave and we were even closer for that moment.

We were officially blessed by the Pope as newleywed’s. Talk about a great way to start your marriage! After the blessing, we also received rosaries that had been blessed by the Pope. We made our way over to the special doors where we were to receive our rosaries, found our way inside this beautiful building and each got one to take home with us.

If you are planning to visit Rome, I highly recommend going to see the Pope whether it is as part of the general audience, or as a newleywed. It was the highlight of our trip and such a special way for us to begin our life together.

We cannot thank Father Mike enough for enabling us to be a part of this special event. Without him, we would not have gotten to sit in the special seating up so close, and we would not have received the formal blessing as newleyweds. Thank you times a million Father Mike. It is a memory that will last forever.

This was the abbreviated version of our experience but it gives you a good idea of what it was like!

I’m off to work! Happy Fat Tuesday…today is my last day for sweets.

Continue Reading When in Rome

You’ve Gotta Start Somewhere

Happy President’s Day! I am celebrating the day by being a productive U.S. citizen and supporting the local economy, aka running errands and going shopping. I am very fortunate to have the day off today so I am using it as another day to be very productive.

As I was getting ready for bed last night I was recapping the weekend in my head and oh my gosh, I realize I was completely lazy when it came to cooking/creating any type of meal! Usually my weekends are a time for me to really get creative and show my mad skills in the kitchen, but apparently I wasn’t feeling it this weekend. Tonight we have dinner plans that involve a really nummy italian restaurant, so tonight I will not be cooking either. That means I have Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to redeem myself, and you better believe I will.

This weekend when we were at Whole Foods, I bought some really neat purple and white eggplant as well as purpley-green kale. I have plans to get creative with it. I also bought something else I have been really interested in trying that I will break out either Wednesday or Thursday. I’m not sure how it will go, but more on that later. Can you handle the anticipation?

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My day started off with a mug of hot and steamy coffee and a bowl of banana, blueberries, and Special K Blueberry cereal.

It was pretty good, but the banana wasn’t quite ripe enough for my liking. It should do the trick for a while and tide my belly over.

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As I was running the other day my brain started to wander as it usually does. I was running on the treadmill at the gym and tired of reading subtitles on the t.v. ahead, and needing a break from people watching. I was getting bored as I often do on the treadmill. My head started playing tricks on me telling me to stop or take a break and walk and it wasn’t because I was tired, I know it was because I was bored. I kept running, trying to fight off my sub-conscious thoughts. I daydreamed back to my days when I first started running. Now, I am by no means a “runner.” I can run, but running is not easy for me, at all.

I first started running because I had signed up for my first 5K. I had no time goals in mind, I just wanted to finish. I was in La Crosse, WI at this time for my internship and I remember the morning so vividly that I laced up and headed out for a walk/run. I did a large loop around my apartment complex and ran for a total of about ten minutes. I called Dana and told him how long I had run and I remember thinking, that’s better than nothing, but man, do I have a long way to go. Dana’s response to me was, “you gotta start somewhere.” He was so right. I could have given up then thinking ok, I can only run 10 minutes right now and I need to run more like 30 for the 5k and quit right then and there thinking it would never happen, but I didn’t, because I knew this would take some time. I began increasing my running to walking ratios and progressed slowly until I was eventually running 3 miles. I completed my first 5k and was addicted to the feeling at the finish line. I knew I had to do more. From then on I ran more 5k’s, then eventually progressed to a 6k, then a 10k, and then last summer Dana and I completed our first 15k.

What a great feeling of accomplishment it is seeing your body progress and really finding what your body is capable of doing. I never thought I would be completing a 15k, and that currently I am signed up for two half-marathons this summer. Am I ready for a half-marathon now? Absolutely not. I am now averaging about 3-4 miles per run, 3 runs per week. I am about a third of the way there, just as I was when I first started training for my first 5k. I know I can do it though. The body is capable of so much more than I often let myself believe. It might be painful, it will indeed be challenging, but it will be worth it. I will be sharing my progress with you as I go, and pushing harder through your support. The moral of this story is as Dana put it, “You gotta start somewhere.” Even if it is only 10 minutes, or 2 minutes, it is possible! Don’t let your mind play tricks on you and tell you that you can’t. You can.

I’m still constantly working on my self-talk as I am running. So many times my mind will say, “you can walk for a little while, come on,” but I am learning to fight past it (unless I am positive that I really do need a walk break). I am often repeating, “keep going, you’re fine” and if I am on the treadmill, “keep going, you’re not tired, you’re just bored, but don’t stop because then we’ll be on this thing even longer.” It is crazy how much self-talk goes on in my head. I do love running with music because it really motivates me and pumps me up. There is nothing like having fresh music to run to really listening to the music to glide you through a run. Also, finding a running buddy is great motivation. Dana and I trained together for the 15k and it was so helpful to have someone by your side through the process and encouraging you to push to the end of the run, and to get up on Saturday morning for a run when you really just want to stay in bed all day. It was an experience that we were able to accomplish together, which is very special to me.

That was my motivational piece for the day. Like I said, I am not a great runner, but I can run. And you can too. Get up and move it baby!

I am off to tackle laundry, shopping, and hopefully a workout as well! Have a great day!

Continue Reading You’ve Gotta Start Somewhere

Laugh a Little

Is it seriously Sunday? Where did this weekend go? Holy cannoli!

My morning started off with a light and healthy breakfast: blueberries, blackberries, and yogurt in my cute new mug.

I wanted to keep breakfast light because I was meeting up with my good friends, Kate and Heidi for lunch in just a couple of hours. We met in Mankato and as always, it was so great to see them and catch up. I didn’t snap a photo of my lunch but I had a cup of chili, a dinner roll, and a side salad with raspberry viniagrette. On the hour drive with Kate, we listened to the 90’s station, danced to the Macarena, and giggled like little girls.

Photo: Me, Kate, and Heidi this summer at Chino Latino’s for “Mel’s Night Out”—such a blast!


While I was a away at lunch, Dana had been busy cleaning and painting! We bought a decorative ladder shelf from Target on Friday and the wall that we want it up against needed a fresh paint job. We decided to make the wall an accent wall with some leftover paint we had. Dana surprised me when I got home and had the wall all painted already! Now we just need to let it dry and we can attach the ladder to the wall and start filling the shelves! I am pretty psyched about it. I will be sure to snap a photo of it once it’s finished!

Today was also a day of errands, laundry, and I am hoping a little rest and relaxation tonight. I am feeling very sluggish this afternoon. I need to think about meals for the week as well. I have a guest coming over for dinner on Tuesday night and want to make something extra delicious for her! 😉 As for dinner tonight, I have absolutely nothing planned and it will most likely be a do your own thing, night.

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Back track to last night, and you will find Dana and I amidst a date night!

We went to see a comedy show by the guys from KFAN radio. I don’t really listen to KFAN but Dana does, so we thought we would give it a go plus tickets were only $10 a piece.I was just hoping they weren’t going to say a lot of KFAN jokes that were only funny to those who listen to the show. I figured no matter what we would get a few chuckles out of it. I was pretty excited anyway.

We tried snapping a photo together before we left for the show but were clearly having some issues with the lighting hence Dana’s half lit face.

Clearly, very excited. Excited enough to walk like an Egyptian.

So, what did we think? We really liked it! They had six “comedians” in the line-up. Some of them were more funny than others, but that’s to be expected. I definitely laughed a lot which felt so good! We had a few people at our table however who must not have had ANY sense of humor because they didn’t crack a smile the whole show. Now come on, laugh a little, it’s good for the soul! At least we thought it was a great way to spend our Saturday night.

Alright, I’m off to hang with the boys and help with house stuff. Catch ya soon!

Continue Reading Laugh a Little

Big Dog, Little Dog

Good morning! My day started off with a trip to the gym where I polished off 4.25 miles on the treadmill and then the same leg workout from last saturday. On the way to the gym I scarfed down a half of a banana with a schmear or peanut butter. This is a typical pre-run snack for me. It has a little bit of carbs and a little protein to tide me through my workout, yet it’s not so much food that it makes my stomach upset. It does the trick perfectly for me.

Once I got home I blended up a protein smoothie made with 1 cup almond milk, 3/4 scoop chocolate protein powder, and a the other half of my banana. Now I’m off to run some errands!

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After work yesterday I stopped over at mom and dad’s for a bit. There is something about going home that is so comforting and I always look forward to going to their house. The first thing I do is give hugs and kisses to mom, dad, and Abbie, and then I usually head to the pantry because they have THE BEST snacks. While I was there I snacked on some cinnamon sugar pita chips and dark chocolate raisinettes. There are also ways to train your dog click here now and find out how.

Mom and dad are heading up north to see my brother this weekend. It’s cooler up north than it is here, and since they are planning on going for a hike while they are up there, and bringing Abbie, I asked mom if she was bringing a sweater for Abs. Oh you bet she is, and she put it on her so that Abbie could model for us. Photo shoot time! On the catwalk, yeah.

When I got back home Moose sniffed me out and then accused me of cheating on him with another dog. It is always so funny to see Moose after seeing Abbie because he is SO much bigger! Abbie is 11 lbs and Moose is 92 lbs. See and compare.

Big dog, hear me roar…
It’s dinner time…my favorite time of day. Besides breakfast.
Don’t even think about stealing my food. I’m not kidding.
No pictures while I’m eating please. Do I take pictures of you while you eat?

Moose is hysterical when it comes to his food. Whenever Dana feeds him, Moose goes and finds me wherever I am in the house. I have decided this is either to let me know he is excited about his meal, or he is keeping tabs on me to make sure I don’t come and eat his food. I think it is the latter of the two. If only he knew how much I loved dog food, then he would really be worried. Kidding obviously. K, so once he has told me it is time for him to eat, he then goes and sits by his food. He waits and waits until either Dana or I says “good boy.” I find when it’s me feeding him, I have to be extra exuberant when I say the two magic words or he won’t budge. It’s like he doesn’t want to get in trouble for eating. Also, he is EXTREMELY protective over his food. If you come near it while he is eating, he growls. This is something we are working on with him. Hey, he’s not perfect.

So there you have it, big dog, little dog. I love them both so much. Dogs are seriously hilarious.

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Dinner last night was a lazy attempt at a meal. Dana and I pulled out some Morningstar Garden Veggie Patties from the freezer and cooked them up on the stovetop. I snacked on some quinoa and soy sauce while they were cooking.

Dana’s creation:

Melanie’s lame creation:

Pretty embarassing. Dana wins by a landslide. He is always trying to out-do me. 🙂 Morningstar veggie patties are my favorite veggie burgers that I have found so far.

Later gators.

Continue Reading Big Dog, Little Dog
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