Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail

It has been a productive weekend. On top of the fact I got within hours of finishing up all my work for this semester (trumpets playing in my head), which ment spending over 5 hours in Barnes and Noble on that beautiful Saturday we had, I finally got on the ball with my food prepping, putting together a clean eating recipe book, and making some homemade protein bars. Best of all I got everything accomplished with my lovely missfit Haley. I will say having her as a partner in this new lifestyle has probably been crucial to my success. She keeps me motivated and lifts me up when I'm down.

First off we started putting together a clean cookbook with recipes from some of our favorite fitness/nutrition blogs.

Super Sisters

Muffin Topless

Spoonful Of Fit

Reverent Lion

We used a 3 ring binder and plastic sleeves so we can keep adding to the cookbook as we discover new recipes. All and all it was a very inexpensive project and provides me with a whole new source to find dinner/breakfast/snack/dessert ideas. Which is important when feeding a man who loves yummy food like Chase does.

Sunday we spent the day shopping and cooking. We loaded up on all our favorite forms of proteins and veggies at the store and got to cookin'. We made some homemade protein bars, a recipe from one of the best blogs out there, the Super Sisters. Their stories are so touching and inspiring and on top of that their recipes are yummy and good for you, yes that does exist! We didn't have apple sauce so we subbed out pumpkin and it was perfect. (they did come out a little dry compared to the super sisters picture, but still very yummy) Top these off with some yogurt or lite cool whip. Oh. My. Goodness.

Peanut Butter Blondie Bars

Makes 6 bars

• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup peanut flour (or PB2)
• 1/3 cup baking stevia
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or pumpkin in our case)
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• optional: 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 11 x 7 baking pan (you can try another size or muffin pan – but this is what we used) well with non-stick spray. Pour almond milk into a large measuring cup or small bowl, add your vinegar and stir well. In a small bowl, mix all dry ingredients well and set aside. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites well by hand for 30 seconds. Add your almond milk mixture, applesauce and vanilla and mix well. Slowly add your dry ingredients and whisk until well combined. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Store in refrigerator. Enjoy!

                                          

Servings: 6

Calories: 85

Fat: 3 g

Carbs: 5 g

Protein: 13 g

Along with that, I finally accomplished my first Sunday food prep. Starting this clean eating while working full time, working out 5 days a week, going to school, and taking care of a home has made my life much busier (which I didn't think was possible at the beginning). Therefore the idea of making most of my meals for the week on Sunday is a welcomed idea. It helps to stay on track and sleep a few extra minutes, which is lovely since I wake up at 5:20am these days. This is my first stab at this so I'm sure in months to come my process and recipes will improve greatly! As for now I did what I know, and that is chicken, veggies, and rice. Basically the idea is that you make a large portion of the meals and than measure and separate them out and have ready to "grab and eat" meals just waiting on you in the fridge.

I cooked chicken breast, mushrooms, mini sweet peppers, broccoli and brown rice. In each bowl I put 3oz of chicken, little less than half a cup of veggies and half and cup of brown rice. Measuring is key if your counting calories. I've started to realize a lot of fitness people (for lack of a better term haha) don't count calories and just keep the food their eating healthy and focus more on the protein, fats, carbs, and sugars. I'm slowly starting to count less, but for now measuring everything out lets me know where I'm at. I also didn't add any seasoning, because I'm kinda addicted to Cholula hot sauce, and will probably use that as my seasoning.

So all the facts for this meal consit of:

Calories: 300

Fat: 5 g

Carbs: 42 g

Protein: 26 g

  

Now don't get me wrong, food preping makes for a long Sunday afternoon, lots of dishes (no dishwasher in this old house), and a big kitchen mess...but its worth it to me. I made enough meals for Chase and I, which he is very happy about. It feels good to be productive on Sunday, espically knowing it sets me up for a easier week ahead when time is more limited. After all the cooking and cleaning I made Chase and me some strawberry smoothies--strawberries, ice, carbmaster vanilla yogurt, and topped it al off with frozen lite cool whip-- and was in bed by 9:30, old woman status maybe, but 5:20am comes early on a Monday morning, and Monday morning of Exam weeks at that. :)

"That's what I love about Sundays"

I'll be back. I promise!





Eeeeeek! I promise I have not given up on this blog, nor have lost interest.

Currently I am:

• trying to finish at Blue Ridge and get outtttta there.
• get caught up at work
• spend some time with some lost friends, going through hardships
• keep up with a new workout
• organize and work on photo-shoots/weddings
• and sleep every once in awhile

(in that order about to)

I will be back..I promise.

Grownup Playtime

So despite all of my dreadful hours spent working on school work, I did squeeze in a little enjoyment this weekend. I got some planting done outside the house and made up some hanging baskets. I also played around with my new favorite food, avocados. They are so amazing and I don't know why I always forget about how much I love them when I'm making dinner at home. My favorite food growing up was grilled cheese and so its quite the comfort food for me. This Saturday was the first day of turkey season in the valley, and although I didn't get to go because of all that darn school work, I still made the traditional mid-day eggie samich for Chase when he got back from hunting. Although after he had his sandwich he was asking for me to make him another sandwich like mine, which I called a grownup grilled cheese. I added sliced avocado with shredded mozzarella and a little salt and than dipped it in sriracha, which is an amazing hot sauce that everyone should try! It turned out really good, and was not as unhealthy as some of the other weekend treats I've had the last few months. It was a beautiful weekend, and although I spent most of it indoors, I'm glad I got to spend just a little time outside doing some house chores (which as of now are more like playtime to me). Hope everyone elses weekend's were full of some fun outside in that beautiful weather.

 I finally got out the good camera for once
 

and just a few little snapshots of the porch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Personal Celebration!

Ok I've been going back and forth all morning about sharing this. I don't want to become to egotistic and begin to annoy people with my health posts. There is so much more to life than constantly worrying about your weight. I am not necessarily to bothered about how much weight I lose, I'm more concerned with inches and things that jiggle. Also I want to make my body a healthy body and that comes through good eating and exercise. Now that being out there, it is pretty exciting when you reach a milestone and for myself I have. I was going to reward myself when I lost 15 pounds and I've made it there!!! Now that I have I think I've decided to postpone the reward to maybe another 15 or 10, because I'm not physically where I wanted to be quite yet, but I'm so happy none the less. I don't lose weight easily. Tomorrow will be 12 weeks, 3 months, of healthier eating habits and working out 5 days a week. Now granted I've missed probably about 10 workouts total over that time because more important parts of my life like family, friends and school, but I've stayed on top of a normal exercise routine and it's just become part of my daily life. So I'm just excited that all the work is paying off! I'm almost to the size I was in high school, which is very rewarding for myself. I do apologize for posting so much about this. I just so excited to feel this way!

This is the app called "Lost It!"

I absolutely love this app, everyone should download it today!

Left: current (and bad quality photo) Right: Senior year of high school

Be Inspired, Be You, Be Happy

So I have a lot going on these next two weeks with the close of the semester coming quickly, so I apologize for the lack of quality and quantity of posts for a little while. I did want to share with ya'll two of my new favorite blogs. Both are ran by some amazing ladies. They both are very health conscious and all about a fit lifestyle. They have some amazing workouts, nutrition facts, motivational words, yummy (healthy) recipes, and just over all very inspiring posts about loving life and your body. They both are very fit girls of course, but they don't stress that being skinny is important, which is why I love their sites. Both are about making yourself happy and healthy, and if that takes you to a smaller size than more power to you. Being happy with yourself mentally is stressed by them constantly. I love this about them, because over the last three months I've really started to become aware of how evil people are when it comes to judging each other and each others lifestyles. If what you're doing is good for you, and makes you happy than no one should have any issues with it. I know that people's negative comments are usually brought on by issues they have within themselves not necessary with you, but still it doesn't make it acceptable to judge people. I am inspired by both these ladies and what they represent. I'm currently about to make some of the homemade shampoo and conditioner featured on the first site listed. I'll let you know how it goes, but looking at her hair I can't imagine it would go badly!



Reverent Lion



Ashley Freeman's Fit Life

Now I don't have permission from either of these ladies to share their photos, so I hope they aren't to mad. I've included links below both pictures to their websites. I hope that you find them as inspiring as I do.

A Little Chalkboard Love

I believe that in this day and age people are losing touch with the romance and importance of written words. I don't think there is anything more perfect than an old letter preserved in history. The look, the feel, the memories it could tell. I do all I can to keep the tradition of handwritten messages in my daily life. I write chase a little letter everyday, for many reasons, but one of them is to make sure I take a moment everyday to document why I'm thankful for him. Today I finally got around to a little project at the house that is another way for me to leave little messages to Chaseley.

I'm obsessed with chalkboard paint. It's the best invention ever. I love how easy it is to transform any object into a chalkboard with a few swipes of a paintbrush. So today I took the inside of our medicine cabinet, which was an awful cardboard, and painted it to be a little message board. Granted I'll probably be the only one to ever leave messages, but even if its reminders that we need toothpaste, it's much better than that yucky card board. The only supplies I needed was a paintbrush, painters tape (I'm not good at painting in the lines), chalkboard paint, which is at about any hardwood store now, a drop cloth (aka old sheet) and myself. I had to paint about 3 coats, over about 3 hours. ...and tada a new way to enjoy my little bathroom.

I had a great day painting and gathering up goodies for the upcoming spring. It was a very productive weekend around our little home. I'm so excited for spring this year, it's time to dive into this whole homemaking full heartedly.

Breathe

I feel as though I'm failing. I haven't been keeping up with posts this week like I had been, and I start to get anxious about not staying on top of it. I've always had a problem with striving to be a million things at once. Over the last few years I've started becoming aware of it, and realizing I have to let that idea go sometimes and allow for others to help me. I want to be a good student, a hard worker, a great friend, a loving girlfriend, a craft creator, etc etc etc...and now recently moving into a home has created another role, that I've found myself to be the hardest I've ever experienced. Keeping up with the cleaning, maintenance, cooking, and laundry of a home is nothing to take lightly. (I'm thankful to get this experience now before kids ever become a part of it, I can't even imagine how some moms do it the way they do) Now don't get me wrong, not all of the chores --not by a long shot--are left up to me to accomplish. I am blessed to have a man who helps out constantly, and I'd say we make a pretty good team when it comes to running the house. The problem with it is the 1950's housewife whose trapped inside me, who decides to rare her pretty little evil head every once and awhile. It'll be just a normal day and Chase will be straightening up a room or some clutter and then something in me makes me feel like that's a sign I'm not doing enough around the house or a good job at taking care of the house. I all of a sudden take it as this huge insult to the woman-of-the-house inside of me and I get all in a tizzy. Poor Chase, I know it just confuses the hell outta him, and makes him feel like he's done something wrong. I will give it to men, they do have to deal with some crazy irrational emotions from most women. I don't know why I get that way. I wish I could freeze time and remind myself it's stupid, the same way I remind myself that about 20 minutes after my fit has already put him in a bad mood..I hope this is one of those emotions that will continue to subside with age. The older I get I hope the more ill except you can't be the best at everything you get yourself involved in, you can just give it your best and that's all you can do. See I can tell myself that right now, but I know I don't believe it quite yet for my own sake. Now I know this post doesn't have much a purpose or provide anyone else with a lot of help on anything (except maybe some relief you're not the only old, fifties fashioned person trapped in this century) but I guess I just felt like ranting today. It's good for your health you let it out, I have some real good friends who understand and allow me to do so regularly. Each is different with their style of responding and that what makes them each so important to my mental health. I don't know how women make it through life without other women to constantly reassure them their not the only crazy one. Needless to say I need to just kick my butt in to high gear, get the work done that needs to be done, and not trouble myself with the possibilities of failure and the chances I won't live up to the high standards I set for myself. Basically I just need to

breathe in. breathe out. move on.

That's my motto for the day.

Birthday Boots

Now anyone who knows me knows I have a little obsession with boots, and well if you didn't you may of figured it out from the title of my blog. Either way I love boots. I own quite a few pairs of cowboy boots...its over 12, and will leave it at that. I am proud to say that only two were purchased brand new by me and the rest are used or a better word for it, worn out. One pair I even had passed down to me by a very good friend of our family who had brought them in Texas when she was my age. The rest have come from Etsy.com or thrift stores from here to Colorado. There's something beautiful about worn out boots to me. They have seen things that I'll never know. Each one has a history and I feel like I become part of that history when I start making my own stories in them. Recently my collection has halted to a stop because of a lack of funds, even for used boots, but I think I'm about due for a new pair, and I may even make it a brand spanking new pair.

Well today is my birthday and I will always have a love for my birthday, no matter the age (and I really mean that, and pray I can keep meaning that the older I get). I think if the world got as excited about birthdays as I do, none of us would get as bothered about getting older. Maybe if adults got to continue to celebrate their birthdays like kids did, they wouldn't be as bent out of shape about them. Imagine if you got the day off work or school or whatever, got to eat lots of cake and celebrate how ever you'd like. I think people would be much happier about birthdays. I love birthdays...no matter whose it is. The idea about making a person have a day where their reminded how loved they are, or how blessed they are with their life and their friends or just the fact they're living another day is just a heart warming thought. I wish that there never was a bad birthday for anyone.

If I do get to treat myself to a new pair of birthday boots I already know exactly where I'm going. This lovely online store called Country Outfitter. They have an amazing selection of boots and offer them for the lowest price you'll find. They offer a weekly Facebook drawing for a pair of boots, which I enter every one just in case (along with about another million people). They also send out lots of discounts to subscribers through email. They carry all my favorite brands, and even sell my all time favorite pair of Old Gringos, which I WILL own someday. *dreaming sigh*. Without a doubt, if I can purchase birthday boots, Country Outfitter is where they'll come from. Here are just a few of my favorites from their selection. Go take a look, I bet you'll fall in love with a few pairs too.




Corral Antique Saddle Boot

 

Old Gringo Taka Boot



Ariat Murrietta Boot





Old Gringo Mayra Boot



Frye Crazy Horse Harness Boot



Lucchese Tan Ranch Hand Boot

 

Corral Heart and Pistols Boot



and then there are the dream boots....

Old Gringo Diego Rust & Turquoise Boot

oh someday, someday by god.