Hi friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Mine was very low-key and pretty darn fabulous. I have an amazing giveaway to announce, but I would still like to catch you up from the weekend so…..
The last time I left you was Friday morning, so I’ll take off from there.
Friday
I had a few appointments, one being a hair appointment. It was time to brighten up the golden locks. The last time I had my hair highlighted was in February, and it was starting to look dull, so I figured it was about time. It’s amazing what a simple change to your hair can do for your spirit. 🙂
Before and after:
You know what else helps lift my spirits? A box of pita chips from Wild Harvest delivered right to my door. They have recently come out with natural pita chips and sent me a few samples to try! They sent sea salt, parmesan garlic, and cinnamon sugar flavors. The sea salt ones were opened this weekend and I am VERY happy with them. They have a slight buttery taste to them and just the perfect amount of saltiness. I’m excited to try the other flavors.
I only had a few minutes for lunch but managed to whip up a tasty plate of shredded chicken with avocado, feta cheese, and pepper.
Dinner was protein-packed and simple: a Morningstar Garden Veggie patty with a runny egg on top.
After dinner, Dana and I hopped into our warm car and made our way around town looking at Christmas lights. It’s a tradition we started last year which includes a trip to Dairy Queen and gawking at lights like little kids. I LOVE IT!
Saturday
It was raining and 35° on Saturday morning, so our plans to run outside were deviated. We headed to the gym and ran out 5.5 miles on the treadmill. It was miserable to be perfectly honest. The boredom factor was at an all-time high, BUT we made it through.
My pre-run breakfast of banana with Parkers Farm peanut butter, cinnamon and honey…
The afternoon was spent deep cleaning our house. Dusting, mopping, windexing, shining up the stainless steel appliances we’d gotten from Unclutterer, catching up with the laundry, washing the drapes….I mean deep clean. Such a gratifying way to spend a rainy Saturday!
What adds to the gratification? Knowing that a pot roast would be ready in the crock pot at dinner time after a day full of crazy cleaning.
The pot roast came out a little tougher than usual and I’m blaming that on the fact that I tossed it into the crock pot completely frozen, but it was still good! I used this roast recipe from the last time I made it, except minus the beef broth (because we didn’t have any) and I substituted with water instead.
Later in the evening I dominated a game of Skip Bo while Moose snuggled by my side. Kidding, he literally sat by me for 5 minutes before moving elsewhere, but I still thought it was sweet.
Sunday
The usual Sunday morning ritual of reading the paper, cutting coupons, and going grocery shopping, then home around noon for a sweet lunch…
Mixed greens, strawberries, avocado, black beans, mandarin oranges, and poppy seed dressing.
I made my way downstairs to the treadmill for a 40 minute walk, managed to wrap some presents, and clean the kitchen, but besides that, it was a pretty quiet and very relaxing day. I really needed a weekend like this. I am well-rested and have a very clean house. I hope you had a great weekend too!
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Now onto the realllllyyy good stuff…
IT’S GIVEAWAY TIME! {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}
Parkers Farm, a Minnesota-based company, makes the most phenomenal peanut butter, one that you see throughout many of my posts (including this one actually). They also make other products like salsa and cheese spreads. Because I am such a huge peanut butter lover, I am stoked about this giveaway.
They are offering a case, which is 12 jars (16 ounces each) of their peanut butter to ONE lucky reader. The winner can choose between 1 of 3 varieties: creamy, crunchy, or honey creamy!
The peanut butter is perishable so this giveaway is only open to continental U.S. residents only (sorry to all of my other readers!) and no P.O. Box addresses please. The PB can be frozen for up to a year so no need to worry about not being able to use it all right away although in my house it wouldn’t be an issue. 🙂
To enter the giveaway: Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite way to eat peanut butter. Earn an extra entry by tweeting or posting on facebook “I just entered to win @ParkersFarmInc peanut butter from @NuttyMelanie http://wp.me/p2J5VV-1lF.” Just be sure to leave a second comment on this post with your tweet or facebook post. I will randomly pick a winner on Thursday. Good luck!
My favorite way to eat peanut butter is in my oatmeal. so so yummy
Peanut butter toast baby! Amazing giveaway!!
My tweet: @StudioEats14: I just entered to win @ParkersFarmInc peanut butter from @NuttyMelanie http://t.co/th3lqq7L.
I love to enjoy peanut butter in my spinach protein smoothies! I am also a huge fan of peanut butter and honey sandwiches and peanut butter toast and peanut butter brownies… Let’s be honest, I could eat peanut butter on ANYTHING! 🙂
Mmmm I love pb in kale or spinach smoothies too! Num!
My tweet: @olivesanwine
I just entered to win @ParkersFarmInc peanut butter from @NuttyMelanie http://wp.me/p2J5VV-1lF
What an incredible giveaway!! My favorite way to eat pb is probably in cookies. =) But on a typical day, I’d usually have it on toast instead.
My favorite way to eat PB is definitely in my oatmeal. Or, you know, just straight out of the jar!
Nothing wrong with that! A great quick shot of protein!
I also tweeted! : https://twitter.com/MyFreckledLife/status/280676042329432064
My favorite is when baking cookies! Or banana chunks with peanut butter in a bowl. Hey Melanie, it’s Erin from BT grade school…I love your blog!
Erin! Hi! So good to hear from you! Hope you are well! My fav is definitely banana chunks with peanut butter (with cinnamon and honey too!).
Erin Kathleen Holley @ekholley
i just entered to win @ParkersFarmInc peanut butter from @NuttyMelanie http://wp.me/p2J5VV-1lF
I love to eat PB straight out of the jar! Only 1 Tbs. though!
I tweeted.
http://www.twitter.com/kda1114
Oh peanut butter – how I love thee- let me count the ways… on my finger, on an apple, in my cookies, I add 1tbsp to my roast, in my plain yogurt, ants on a log are still the best, the list goes on and on!
My favorite way to eat peanut butter is #1 Peanut Butter Sandwhich with either jelly or honey. #2 peanut butter on a banana!
my favorite way to eat pb is straight up! with banana…
Agreed!
just tweeted too! https://twitter.com/actorsdiet/status/280734833142013952
I eat peanut butter in my oatmeal every morning! Love it!
Just tweeted 🙂
Gosh do I love nut butters. My favorite way is with frozen bananas in a blender or food processor! Can you say PB & nanner soft serve?! Num.
NUMMM!!
Omg. Num.
My tweet: Caroline Earle@trendytrainer
If you missed my #giveaway… I just entered to win @ParkersFarmInc peanut butter from @NuttyMelanie http://wp.me/p2J5VV-1lF
My FB shout out 🙂
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Trendy-Trainer/190199357702983
I make banana nut bread and I like a good smear of peanut butter on it along with sliced banana and honey!
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/FireRunner2379/status/280796581450612736
Peanut butter on warm toast so it gets all “melty” 😉 Delish! Sounds like you had a great weekend!
Oh man my mouth literally watered when I read melty peanut butter.
Just tweeted also! https://twitter.com/kepotts/status/280797486677897216
I love peanut butter! I love it on mulitple things like many people. Currently I am on a kick where I eat peanut butter on protein waffles.
Peanut butter and crackers! Yummmm!
I love peanut butter in a mug cake, in cookies, or spread on a sandwich with fresh spinach (weird, I know, but SO delicious!)
Very interesting! I may have to give that a go!
Costco just stopped selling Parkers Farm PB, the BEST peanut butter on the planet!! My favorite way to eat it on the spoon in the form of PB dough: PB, honey, powdered milk, freshly ground cornmeal, oatmeal, pine nuts, cocoa…and whatever else suits my fancy. My kids love it and it’s my pre-workout energy dose. Please send me the PB! My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Oh no! As of last week my Costco still had it…I hope it still does because that’s where I get mine too! I love the sound of that pb dough btw. Nummy!
I love peanut butter on anything… bread.. bananas.. yogurt.. etc.
I can’t believe I’ve never tried pb on my yogurt! I need to get on that.
I tweeted.
I’m so with you on the hair thing Mel! blondies for life 🙂
Of course I love peanut butter best with chocolate!! Or whole wheat toast, pb & homemade jam! Yum.
Num. I miss you.
Loving pb on toast, cereal, and oatmeal!!
Peanut butter and banana on toast is probably my favorite meal. Lately I’ve been having it on Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread…yum!
peanut butter and banana, duh 🙂 especially on an english muffin. MMMMM.
I just finished eating my pb banana as I read your comment. He he!
one whole grain toast topped with chopped banana 🙂
I eat peanut butter on bread, with jelly in a sandwich, in overnight oats, cooked oatmeal, or straight from the jar. I can’t get enough!
I tweeted! http://wp.me/p2J5VV-1lF