Misc. Archives - Page 5 of 12 -

When You Smile…

Post author:Melanie
Post published:October 16, 2013
Post category:Misc.
Post comments:11 Comments

…The whole world smiles with you.

There’s always something to smile about. I rounded up a few photos from good ol’ Pinterest that gave me a chuckle and a smile and I thought I would share them with you.

This was me last night…but not really.

Growing up in a household with four boys and two girls, you would think that bodily function humor wouldn’t be so funny to me anymore, but sure enough it gets me every time. I would never do this though!

Simply said…

Don’t do this…

Enjoy life and the simple things…

I can’t even…

Moose would approve of this one…

Hahahahha!!!

Lastly…

Find something to smile about today and share a smile with someone else.

xoxo,

Melanie

Currently I’m…

Post author:Melanie
Post published:October 10, 2013
Post category:Misc. / Moose
Post comments:27 Comments

I’m procrastinating in my effort to recap my vacation so instead, I put together this fun little post about what I’m currently thinking/doing/wanting, etc. I hope you enjoy!

Currently I’m…finally unpacked from vacation. The laundry is all done too! I don’t know what’s worse, packing or unpacking? Your thoughts?

Currently I’m…obsessssssed with my dog. I missed him so incredibly much while we were away.

Currently I’m…enjoying the elliptical machine at the gym. I’m still playing it cool with the intensity of my workouts so I have been gently been “ellipticalling”. I especially like the ones that have the arms that move back and forth. Oh, and I’m excited to be back at the gym after a three month freeze that we put on our membership this summer.

Currently I’m…really into cheese. String cheese, cheddar cheese, muenster…just no stinky cheeses. I am just loving it lately. Maybe my body is asking for the extra calcium?

Currently I’m…really excited for fall weather. I really am not complaining about the 70 degree weather we’ve been having, but at the same time I’m kind of ready for the cooler air and the sweater and soup weather.

Currently I’m…super excited to try out my new Ninja Ultima I got this week thanks to our wonderful HLS sponsor, Ninja Kitchen!

Currently I’m…trying to put together the first part of my vacation recap post. I promise it’s coming soon!

Currently I’m…craving my favorite salmon. This is going to need to make an appearance soon!

Currently I’m…missing my family.

Currently I’m…counting my blessings. Today and everyday.

Now it’s your turn!

Photo Leftovers

Post author:Melanie
Post published:September 12, 2013
Post category:Dinners / Misc. / Moose
Post comments:10 Comments

The 2013 Healthy Living Summit is just one day away. Wanna know more about HLS? You can read up on my recaps from last year in Boston.

Destination Boston HLS12
Shake Out the Nerves HLS Day 1
Cheers to New Friends HLS Day 2
Decisions, Decisions HLS Day 3

I am so excited to be reunited with my girls and to meet so many new blends!

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So you’ve seen it before from me, and yet again I have some super delicious food photos and some other random other photos that are piling up and needing to be shared with you all.

It’s an easy one for all of us with virtually no thinking involved—leftover day. Sit back and enjoy.

Strawberry Chicken Poppyseed Salad from Panera. I finally got it even though summer is coming to an end. I was actually nervous when I went there because I was afraid I had missed my opportunity. I LOVE this salad.

Dinner made my mamacita: tilapia, roasted veggies, and smoky quinoa. Means always taste better when someone else makes them for you.

Some new pb spread called Tru-Nut that was sent to me to try on gluten-free brown rice toast. I’m still deciding how I feel about it.

A delightfully veggie-packed salad: mixed greens, broccoli, tomatoes, peas, turkey, cheese, sunflower seeds, and honey mustard.

My favorite salmon with almond, capers, and sesame oil with grilled veggies.

A care package from Wild Harvest—thank you and see you guys soon!

My new friends I met in New York on the cover of the Variety section this week!

And Moose.

Happy Thursday!

Do you have any leftover goodies hanging out on your phones or camera?!

What are your thoughts on leftover food? Yay or nay?

I Am Grateful: August Recap

Post author:Melanie
Post published:September 3, 2013
Post category:Family / Friends / Misc.
Post comments:14 Comments

We are now three days into September which completely blows my mind. What happened to August, July, and June? Did they even happen?! I adore summer but I equally adore fall so I am so looking forward to slightly cooler weather, sweatshirts, and long cool walks but even still, I just can’t believe how time flies.

I wanted to do some type of recap from August. At first I thought about my favorite posts from August, or my favorite meals from August, but instead I wanted to put together a list of things I was grateful for in August. In fact, I hope to do this a lot more often because it makes me feel SO incredibly happy and lucky to see my blessings written out in front of me.

Without further ado, here is a short list (it could be a million pages long but I kept it short) of things I was grateful for in August and am always grateful for.

I Am Grateful For…

I am grateful for medical advancements and having the option to choose. I am taking the complementary approach to my health care right now by following with both Eastern and Western Medical doctors. I am grateful I have the options to choose.

I am grateful for my legs that keep walking each day. That get me through miles of walks around the neighborhood, errands, and every day tasks.

I am grateful for my husband, family and friends. They are my #1 priority.

I am grateful for delicious food. I am so lucky to be able to eat healthy and delicious food everyday. I know many people struggle to find food on a daily basis.

During the heat wave of August, I was very thankful for air conditioning.

I am grateful for the opportunities to fly out and visit friends in other parts of the country.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have to meet amazing people through Beautifully Nutty. I have made incredibly strong connections to many other bloggers and can’t believe how close we have gotten. Also, In August I had the opportunity to meet Bethenny Frankel. Without the blog I don’t think this would have happened.

I am grateful for my dog. He makes me laugh everyday, he is always up for a walk, and he is always good company.

This is only a small list of things I am grateful for! I will continue to be thankful and grateful for each day! Life is short; be grateful for each day.

What are you grateful for?

My Weekend: Birthday Celebrations and Jimmy Buffett

Post author:Melanie
Post published:August 27, 2013
Post category:Dinners / Events / Family / Misc. / Travel
Post comments:17 Comments

It’s time to talk about my weekend. Holy moly was it a good one!

It started off with a birthday celebration on Friday night for my brother, Kevin. He requested steak and chicken fajitas and strawberry cheesecake for dessert. I was stoked about this menu! I LOVE fajitas!

First let me show you my dad’s beautiful plate:

He always makes such a gorgeous presentation of his food. Me on the other hand, I just make one big pile in the middle of my plate…

His is way more visually appealing. I should probably start taking some notes!

After dinner, we hung outside for a while before heading in to open presents. As always we were highly entertained by the dogs attempting to get along. For whatever reason they just don’t like each other a whole lot. We’re still hoping this changes in the future!

Of course after presents comes birthday cake!

Strawberry Cheesecake from Costco. It was pretty darn good!

Happy Birthday, Kevi!

Moving on to Saturday

On Saturday morning we piled our stuff in the car and headed to Alpine Valley which is in Elkhorn, Wisconsin (45 minutes outside of Milwaukee). We were going to see the one, the only, Jimmy Buffett!

We broke up the five hour car ride with some rest stop breaks, and lunch at Subway. I ordered their turkey chopped salad and was super impressed by how good it was!

Once we arrived at our hotel we freshened up before heading out to the concert. Dana’s mom had brought a few extra fun hats to wear so I borrowed one for the evening. They were so cute!

Part of our crew: Grant, Rachel, and Mason

Dana and me…

Not pictured were Dana’s parents as well as a couple family friends, Denise and Jim.

Before heading into the concert, we took in the craziness that were the tailgating lots. These people had been there since noon or so just drinking and playing games, so you can imagine what kind of shape they were in when we were walking through at 8:00 pm! Needless to say, a lot of them didn’t even make it to the concert.

Jackson Browne opened for Jimmy Buffett, but half of our group didn’t actually go into the concert until Jimmy took the stage. Once we got inside the concert area we were absolutely blown away at how many people were there! I tried capturing it on camera but it was too dark.

What is nice about Alpine Valley is that for one, it is outside, and two, the majority of the seats are lawn seats so you could pretty much ~~sit~~ stand wherever! We started in one spot but made our way closer and closer as the night progressed.

This is where we watched the end of the concert. We were fairly close!

Although I only knew about half of the songs he sang, I still had an AMAZING time. This guy puts on one heck of a performance. I got especially pumped when I heard “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise!”

I highly suggest that if you ever get a chance to see him in concert, that you do. You won’t regret it. Plus, the people watching was some of the best I have ever seen. There were lots of floral shirts and flip flops going on. Everyone was super nice and very laid back too!

The majority of my day on Sunday was spent in the car driving home, then going to pick up Moose. I was exhausted from not getting enough sleep and from being in the car all day, but it was SO worth it!

Are you a Jimmy Buffett fan?

Dana grew up listening to it so he is a big fan and over the years has exposed me to quite a bit of Jimmy. I like him a lot now too!

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Hey locals! Don’t forget to enter to win a chance to meet Olympian Dara Torres! Check out the details here!

10 Random Things About Me

Post author:Melanie
Post published:August 23, 2013
Post category:Blog / Friends / Misc.
Post comments:18 Comments

At the beginning of the week, my girl Becky, at Olives ‘n’ Wine, nominated me for the Sunshine Award. The Sunshine Award is for blogs that inspire and bring sunshine into reader’s lives. I am honored. Thanks my love!

Sunshine Award

The Rules:

Include award logo in a post or on your blog.
Link to the person who nominated you.
Answer 10 questions about yourself.
Nominate 10 bloggers to receive the award.

Here it goes!

1. What is your first memory in life?

Becky! Why must you start off with a tough one right off the bat?! I am sure I have memories before this one but it is the only one I can think of right now… I remember being 3 or 4 years old and I was at my grandparent’s house. I needed to take a nap and my grandma covered me up with a quilt that she had sewn herself. I loved that quilt so much that she ended up giving it to me (along with another one a little while later!). I still have it in a box but it is pretty much torn to shreds. It was my blankie.

2. What has been the best vacation you have ever been on and what vacation are you looking forward to in the future?

I have had so many wonderful vacations. Disneyworld was my very first big family vacation, and that will probably always be on the top of the charts. I was only 4 years old but seem to remember a lot about it. I never know though if they are true memories or if it is just from watching the home videos from the trip?

Dana and I went to Italy for our honeymoon, and this trip holds a very strong place in my heart. I LOVE Italy and I LOVED this trip. We were even blessed by the Pope (now former Pope) while we were in Rome; it’s hard to top that!

3. What is your preferred type/brand of coffee?

I’ve only been drinking decaf coffee these days and it is only once in a while, but I used to be a huge coffee drinker and I was really getting into Starbuck’s Italian Blend. We would always get coupons for it and then would stock up!

4. Flowers or chocolate?

I have to choose? I don’t think I can. They are both amazing pick-me-ups and I am okay with either any time!

5. What is your normal bedtime and wake up time?

I am usually in bed by 10:00 pm and up between 6-7:00 am during the work week. On the weekends I sleep until 7-8! I get really crazy I know.

6. When going out, do you wear your hair up in a pony tail or down?

Almost always down unless it’s super dirty, then I try to make it look presentable in some type of pony tail or bun. It’s rare that my hair cooperates when I try to put it up though.

7. Favorite form of exercise?

Walking, dancing, running, biking, and yoga. Oh, and stand-up paddle boarding! I just don’t get to do that too often.

8. Favorite place to shop?

TARGET, TJ Maxx, and Von Maur!

9. Do you have a favorite cuisine to eat when dining out? What is it?

I am open to trying anything but my mood will often dictate what type of food I want to eat when dining out. I have always loved Mexican food, so Chipotle is always an excellent option. I guess the more I think about it, I usually choose American cuisine when I am out, but like I said I will try any type of cuisine.

10. Broccoli. Yay or nay?

Yay, yay, all the way!

The Bloggers I am Nominating:

Caroline @ The Trendy Trainer
Shannon @ A Pinch of Ginger
Jamie @ Studio Eats
Amanda @ Running With Spoons
Erica @ Love.Baby.Life
Kailey @ The Caffeinated Runner
Danica @ It’s Progression
Katie @ Daily Cup of Kate
Ashley @ Running Bun
Chelsey @ Clean Eating Chelsey

My Questions…

1. What would you choose for your last meal ever?

2. If you could only drink one beverage besides water for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

3. Milk or Dark Chocolate?

4. Morning exerciser, afternoon, or evening?

5. Worst food you have ever eaten?

6. Biggest pet peeve?

7. What is your favorite holiday?

8. Would you rather mow the grass or clean the dishes?

9. What is your current go-to breakfast?

10. What song would you like someone to serenade you with?

I can’t wait to see the responses! I want you all to play along too! Answer any or all of the questions in the comments section!

Happy Friday!

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Local readers!! Stay tuned for an awesome giveaway coming your way soon!!

WIAW: Sweet and Salty

Post author:Melanie
Post published:August 21, 2013
Post category:Blog / Dinners / Gluten-Free / Lunch / Misc. / Snacks
Post comments:7 Comments

Well I was all set to write out a nice post to contribute to WIAW (What I Ate Wednesday) hosted by Jenn over at Peas and Crayons, but guess what? My body was needing some extra sleep this morning and I gave it what it wanted. Therefore, I don’t have ~~any~~ much time to blog this morning, so here is a quick version of WIAW (actually a combination of eats from Monday AND Tuesday)!

First, what is WIAW?

According to Jenn…

“—What WIAW isn’t about—-

Comparison – Judgement – Restriction – Guilt

—-What WIAW is about—-

Celebrating one of the glorious things we all have in common: We all eat!

WIAW is about food and fun! It’s about making new friends, breaking out of a food rut, noting changes in your diet/lifestyle, inspiring yourself & others, embracing fruit & vegetables, nourishing your body with the foods that work for you, finding new ways to eat your favorite foods, and so. much. more.

Celebrate Food. Celebrate blogging. Celebrate Individuality.”

I also want to mention that I absolutely did not photograph everything I ate! Here’s what I have got for ya!

Berries with brown rice puffs and almond milk.

Spinach salad with tuna and veggies!

Caribou coffee with mom (no picture): caramel soy latte! My new favorite!

Spoonfuls of this stuff…

My amazing dinner I shared with you yesterday: quinoa with sautéed veggies and hummus!

And I will not lie to you, I consumed a lot of this stuff over the past couple of days. Trail mix is my weakness! The sweet and salty combo gets me every time. So darn delicious!

Thanks Jenn for hosting WIAW! Happy Hump Day!

Do you prefer sweet or salty foods?

Photo Dump: Food Style

Post author:Melanie
Post published:August 16, 2013
Post category:Dinners / Misc. / Restaurants
Post comments:4 Comments

I have a bunch of food photos leftover on my phone from the last month or so and instead of just deleting them, I thought I would share them with you all. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you may have seen quite a few of these already.

Enjoy the photo dump, food style!

Strawberry spinach salad with feta cheese, black beans, basil and strawberry vinaigrette.

Dinner at mom and dads: Grilled chicken breast, salad with vinaigrette, roasted eggplant, and watermelon.

After my dining experience at Spoon River, I realized I really like eggplant if it is prepared properly. I love how they had roasted it with some olive oil, salt, and some herbs (at least I think that’s what they did), so I tried replicating it at home. I bought an eggplant from the farmers market, sliced it into large circles, spread on some olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasted them in a 375°F for about 30 minutes, flipping the eggplant halfway through the roasting process. They turned out great! I will definitely be making them again this summer!

This is from a work potluck. I piled on the veggies, fruit, quinoa, and tried some of the crab salad too. Everything was awesome as always! We have the best potlucks.

I don’t think I ever shared this one with you. This was a mushroom and black bean veggie burger from a restaurant in Apple Valley called Valley Tap House. We enjoyed this meal outside until the storm sirens started going off and we were forced inside. torrential rain began as soon as we got inside! This burger was fab btw!

A random mini meal: veggies and hummus. Gorgeous.

This one obviously isn’t a food photo but I had to post it. He demolished one of his stuffed animal toys which he usually doesn’t do! He is very good about preserving the stuffing, but he must have had enough of this one!

Happy Friday, aka the best day of the week if you ask me!

Childhood Joys

Post author:Melanie
Post published:August 15, 2013
Post category:Family / Misc.
Post comments:6 Comments

Happy Thursday!

The other day I enjoyed a piece of Dove Dark Chocolate. Not only do I love the smell, taste, and smoothness of the chocolate, but I really appreciate the sweet little sayings that are printed on the inside of the Dove candy wrappers.

The one I ate yesterday said, “Enjoy the Childhood Joys in Life.” So often we take for granted the simple joys in life. I took this opportunity to reminisce about some my favorite childhood joys. Guess what? You’re invited to flashback with me!

Childhood Joys

Recess: playing 4-square, tag, kickball, dominating the monkey bars. Adults should really be given recess breaks. It could help with the obesity epidemic in our country, right?

Going to the Park: walking to the park, running around, playing on the jungle gym, throwing a frisbee, flying a kite.

Playing with Toys: Barbies anyone ? That isn’t my collection in the photo btw. Dolls, games, books, stuffed animals…

Favorite Foods: Ever since I was little I have always gotten excited about good food. I did a post a while back about typical family meals growing up. I really loved taco night. I also loved cookie dough (and still do!) and would help my mom make cookies, sampling the dough along the way, and then would leave her in the dust when it came to actually baking the cookies! My poor mom! I’ve eaten a lot of cookie dough in my day (CDC wouldn’t appreciate that statement).

Playing Basketball in the Driveway: I used to spend hours with friends and family playing basketball in the driveway. It is such great exercise but at the time I didn’t think twice about basketball in regards to exercise, it was just plain old fun. The other weekend when I was at my aunt and uncle’s cabin, I played in a game of 3 on 3 and holy cow, I was huffing and puffing by the end of the game! I don’t know how I used to do that for an hour or more during full out games!

Dancing: I started dance class when I was three years old. My mom and dad have some irreplaceable footage of me dancing in the house to a DIsney soundtrack record in a pink skirt of course, with my brother dancing around me making fun of me. It’s hilarious!

Singing: I was in choir at school, choir with my church, and always loved singing with mom as dad played guitar. My mom and I would even sing on our walks together! I would dance down the sidewalks too.

Going for walks: Again, we would sing, dance, recite state capitals, and practice multiplcation on our walks. We’ve always been good at multi-tasking. We still love going on our walks together!

mom and melanie race for the cure

Watching Disney Movies: Some of my favorites were Beauty and Beast, Little Mermaid, and Cinderella. I want to collect all of the Disney movies when they are re-released.

Laughing at America’s Funniest Home Videos: Bob Saget was so cheesy but AFV was always funny to me!

Building Forts

Finding a Penny on the ground: If I find a penny on the ground now it is rare that I pick it up. What ever happened to enjoying the simple things?!

Lisa Frank Folders and brand new school supplies: new markers, crayons, lunch box…I loved buying back to school supplies!

Plastic Jewelry

I could seriously go on and on! Let’s make an effort to remember to enjoy the simple childhood joys. Laugh at yourself, dance like no one’s watching, and don’t take yourself too seriously. Life is short, enjoy it!

What are some of your favorite childhood joys?

Five Things I’m Loving Tuesday

Post author:Melanie
Post published:August 13, 2013
Post category:Family / Health / Home Life / Misc.
Post comments:8 Comments

My friend Caroline over at Trendy Trainer (heeeeeyyy!) did a post about five of her favorite things right now. I like the idea of focusing on the positives in life versus the negatives and really like this fun idea for a post, so I am going to follow right along with my lovely friend with…

Five Things I’m Loving Tuesday

1. Long Walks!

With friends, loved ones, Moose or by myself. The weather has been perfect for walks not to mention the stress relief it brings and with the health benefits! Although I will admit I do miss running and I am doing some very light jogging on some of my walks. But still, I love walking!

Check out some of the health benefits of walking!

2. Quinoa

It’s the whole grain that keeps on giving: it’s a complete protein, a good source of iron and fiber, not to mention it tastes wonderful. It can be used in savory or sweet dishes. When I talk to clients about how to use quinoa I will usually recommend starting off using it like you would brown rice; for example with a stir fry. As you get more comfortable with the taste of quinoa you can start to use it more creatively!

I have been enjoying my yellow quinoa, and have a new quinoa recipe coming your way tomorrow!

3. Almond Butter

Whether it’s homemade or store bought (yes I buy it sometimes at Costco if I’m feeling lazy) I have been loving it mixed into my go-to smoothie, on brown rice cakes, on dates, on top of fruit, mixed into homemade chocolate, or off of a spoon. Do I miss peanut butter still? Sure I do. But I am really liking the almond butter these days too!

4. My Family and Friends

I can’t get enough of them lately! Love them so much.

5. Pandora Internet Radio

I love playing pandora when I’m cleaning the house, hanging out, or out for a walk. I have about 15 different radio stations I have set up so I can always find one to fit my mood! Feel like dancing? I play Pop and Hip Hop or Britney Spears Radio. Feeling more mellow? I turn on Jack Johnson or Hotel California. Feeling random? Glee Cast radio. I am all over the place in my taste for music!

Not familiar with Pandora? Check out their site. It’s free!

Have a happy day friends!

What are you loving right now?!