I wanted to share some of the things that I am loving this Friday!
1. Flowers – Chris sent flowers to my office on Wednesday. So sweet! I normally don’t really care about getting flowers, I would rather spend the money else where but these sure did bring a smile to my face Wednesday afternoon! Fresh flowers really do brighten up any space and the thought just warms my heart. An added bonus? I loved the face and red and white polka dotted ribbon and can totally use it for Valentines Day decor!
2. Lotions – Seriously, my skin gets SOOOOOO dry in the winter time. I have been lucky and only had one spot on my hand crack so far this entire winter. (And to be honest it was when I was dehydrated and had pneumonia.) A freaking miracle in my book. I have been able to keep the dryness under control with Body Shop’s Vitamin E Butter (thanks Stephanie!!!) and Nivea Extended Moisture Hand Crème. I love both of these products big time and if you are suffering from dry, chapped skin I HIGHLY recommend both!
I bought Coconut Oil (recommendations thanks to Kathy!) and I haven’t tried it on my skin yet but I found a lip scrub to make with it and I might try that out this weekend! I haven’t tried cooking with it yet either, but I found some recipes on Pinterest that I might play with soon.
3. Mario Wii U 3D – This game is so much fun!!! Chris and I have been playing it on our Wii U and seriously, I love it! You can play at the same time and work together as a team to get through each level. You get to choose your character, Chris is usually Mario and I am usually Peach. The graphics are great for a Mario game and what can be better than an acorn that turns you into a freaking cat!
All around winning if you ask me!
4.Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – I know I am about 10 years late aboard the Harry Potter train, but my goodness! I just finished the 6th book at lunch yesterday and am speechless. So much happened in this book! I wont say anymore incase anyone else has climbed out from under a rock recently and hasn’t read the books or seen the movies either! I used to be one of the nay-sayers and always dissed the books and movies and called it lame. I was wrong. So very, very wrong!
5. I don’t have a food processor, but I really want to get one. What do you guys recommend? There are so many brands and options out there and I honestly get overwhelmed when trying to decide! I don’t want to spend a fortune, but I want something that works great and will last so quality is more important to me than anything!

Do you ever look at something that is really popular or loved by the masses…and you just…don’t…get it? It happens to me sometimes, so I thought I would make a list of things I just don’t like or get.

1. The Bachelor/Bachelorette – Do people really think they are going to find love on a realty show? Why are the girls so fake and bitchy? I mean the theory of the show alone sets these people up for failure. The main bachelor or bachelorette is dating several people at one time, getting close with them, kissing them….that is going to cause problems. Besides, bitches be cray!

2. Vine/Snapchat – I have too many social media platforms to keep up with already. I barely operate my Instagram account, I go days without a tweet and my Facebook statuses are sometimes so sporadic that I only post Roll Tide on game days. I don’t have time for even more social media!

3. Drybar – While I appreciate that you need to pamper yourself now and then, who can seriously afford to do this all the time? I am lucky if I can get my hair cut and colored more than twice a year. I don’t have the time or money to spend getting a blow out every weekend to sit around and watch football, drink beer, go shopping and play video games. Maybe if I were going to extravagant places all the time I would?

4. Jager – Just. No. Gross. I am not in college anymore, and even when I was I wouldn’t touch that shit. Shots in general are something that I just don’t do, but a special hell to the no on Jager.

5. Fad diets that are super restrictive – While I believe everyone needs to do what is best for them when it comes to losing weight, you wont see me on a grapefruit only diet. I want more of a maintainable loss, so a lifestyle change is better than some crazy yoyo dieting that sends your metabolism packing. I like the concepts of lots of diets, and try to incorporate what makes sense from each of them into my lifestyle. Right now I am trying to eat cleaner.
What are some popular things that you don’t like or get?
So, I got to thinking this morning after my work out about the different stages I go through basically every morning. It is sort of entertaining…and sad…all at the same time! Here we go….
Stage One – Anger/Rage
It’s 4:30 am. Really? Why the hell do I have to eat all the things so that I have to work out? Why cant I have a naturally fast metabolism and great genes? Why the hell is it still dark outside? I don’t want to get out of this warm bed. *Hits snooze button*
Stage Two – Acceptance of the Mission
*A few minutes after hitting snooze button, before the next alarm is set to go off*
Fine. I’m up. Let’s get this over with. Fuck.
Stage Three – Denial
*As I am walking to the guest room to get into my work out clothes*
The work out is ONLY 25 minutes. That is less time than one 30 minute sitcom that I seem to make plenty of time for. This is going to be nothing! You will be in the shower in no time.
Stage Four – I Got This Shit!
This usually occurs after about the first minute of the work out.
I am pumped up. This is going to be easy! Bring it on Shaun T. I’m feeling gooooood!
Stage Five – Lost Sense of Realty
This occurs about five minutes in to the work out.
Oh? I have only been doing this for five minutes? Hmm. It seems like it has been longer than that. Surely Shaun T’s time clock is wrong.
Stage Six – Crap.
So umm….let’s slow it down a little Shaun T. I am not quite ready for the “burnout” yet. Ok. Maybe this is harder than I thought.
I know Tonya (the modifier for those of you who dont know what T25 is) is hanging in there Shaun T but I just….I….gosh I am out of breath. Ughhhhhhhh.
Stage Seven – I Think I Can. I Think I Can. I Think I Can.
In this stage there are five minutes left of the work out.
I have come this far, I can last five more minutes. I’m not going to die. Or, at least I hope not. My mamma didn’t raise no quitter!
Stage Eight – Hell Yeah, Go Me!
The work out just ended. I am panting and covered in sweat but damnit, I made it! I knew I was going to rock this!
Stage Nine – Cool Down
Ahhhhhh yeah. Stretch those muscles I just worked out. This feels amazing.
Stage Ten – Euphoria
As I am walking to shed these nasty clothes and go shower.
I am feeling good! I don’t know why the hell I make such a big stink about getting my ass out of bed every morning when I feel this incredible and accomplished this soon in my day!
Do you go through stages during your work outs or am I just a weirdo? Just kidding…I know I am a weirdo.
I think by now, we all know that I love some carbs. Specifically pasta. Why do the carbs have to be so good but so bad?! Well I was in the kitchen attempting to make a lighter version of fettuccine alfredo without the heavy cream. I think it turned out pretty good!
What you need:
whole wheat fettuccine noodles
2 cups of skim milk
2 tablespoons of 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese
2-4 garlic cloves, depending on how garlic-y you like your pasta
pinch of nutmeg to taste
pinch of salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
freshly shredded parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup)
grated parmesan cheese (about 1-2 tablespoons)
What you do
1. Boil water and cook noodles to package
2. Combine the garlic and milk in a saucepan and stir on low heat the entire time it takes for the water to boil and the noodles to cook. This is about 20 minutes.
3. Right before the noodles are done, add the freshly ground pepper, salt and nutmeg to the milk/garlic mixture.
4. Whisk in the cream cheese, and both types of parmesan cheese.
5. Place the fettuccine noodles in a bowl, add the sauce mixture, stir and serve immediately. (Pasta gets cold fast!)

On the menu this week:
Lunch:
Salads, veggies, fruit and natural peanut butter with pretzel crackers
Dinners:
Spicy Healthy Sloppy Joes and Light Potato Salad (recipe to come soon!)
Leftover Healthy Baked Ziti
Fitness Goals:
Focus T25 – Week 1 (Starting over since I had to take a few weeks off.)