Latests

Thought I’d share some of the stuff I’ve been digging lately…

Latest Breakfast: A smoothie made with chocolate protein powder, sunflower seed butter, almond milk, and ice (BC Cherries too if we have them!)

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Latest Book: There Will Be Apricots by Jessica Soffer

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Latest Workout: Hot Yoga. I mean…it’s cardio, strength conditioning and stretching all combined into one! And my fave new thing to bring to class is this snazzy yoga towel by bestie gave me in a gift basket as my ‘something blue’ the morning of the wedding!

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Latest Nail Color: I actually strayed from Essie and picked up this gem of a color (1- because it was on sale, and 2- because it’s cute) It’s Stand By Your Manny- from the Modern Family collection

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Latest Music: Aka: Songs I have on repeat RIGHT NOW.

Latest Show: Weeds (still) We’re up to Season 7, Episode 10. I’m dreading when it’s over because I am addicted to that weedy goodness. 

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Latest Lulu Buy: Track Attack Shorts. Gave them the ol’ test run yesterday when I did a 6km walk through Fish Creek Provincial Park yesterday, and I gotta say I really liked them. I’m not really a short person…ESPECIALLY when I’m working out…but I found that the length was pretty good and the waistband stayed put.

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Latest Beer Find: Okanagan Summer Weizen. Simply put: it’s a summer brew with a hint of apricot. Yup. SOLD. We first tried it last weekend in Edmonton when MKT had it on their menu, so we stopped by the liquor store after dinner to pick up a couple more. And of course, the liquor stores near us don’t have it in stock (and yes, we already asked when it will be available..the answer? TODAY!!!)

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Latest Deal: Well, I DID get a pretty sweet J.Crew dress last weekend (originally $59 marked down to $9) but my LATEST deal was a groupon for The Clayground (pottery painting studio). A few weeks back, my friend Mackenzie and I attempted to meet up at a particular studio but found the prices to be WAY too high. I saw this groupon yesterday morning, so we both quickly bought one. Hello, cake stand, I’m coming to paint you!!!

Latest YouTube Funny: Tyler posted this on his facebook the other day and I thought it was hilarious:

Latest WANT: Ray Ban Aviators with mirrored pink lenses. Can’t find them on the Canada website (go figure) but they’re on the US website! Feel free to send me a pair.

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That’s about it for now, tell me some of your latests!!

OF ALL THE DAMN RECEIPTS

Another interview day…I thought.

BUT lookie-here at what happened with my morning:

  1. Mid hair-straightening, the straightener broke.
  2. Stockings had a hole
  3. Pre-Calgary work pants felt snug
  4. 5 minutes prior to leaving for interview, received a call to cancel said interview.

Honestly, I can’t catch a break. I immediately got online to see what the warranty on my super expensive straightener was, and found that all I needed to do was include a copy of the receipt of purchase from authorized dealer and cost of return shipping along with the item. OF ALL THE DAMN RECEIPTS, I can’t find this one. Oy. The replacement wouldn’t arrive for at least 8-10 weeks, so I am stuck buying another one here regardless. 

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Yeah, that’s the hairdo I would’ve gone with if it weren’t cancelled. And I think I had already changed back into my ‘jams before I even hung up the phone. Ugh

Now I’m going to complain about how this throws off my WORKOUT. Of all things. Boy, am I selfish. Or obsessed. Or both. Now that I have all this free time, I want to use it by going to the GYM but I know there are group ex classes going on until about 12:30pm. (The group ex studio is open air in the middle of the gym- so my use of the treadmill would give me a view of 40-60 older ladies jazzercizing. Not my cuppa.)

I don’t even want to talk about how I felt in my work clothes. Gross. That’s a whole other post on my thoughts and feelings about my body image insecurities. WOOF.

RANT=OVER. (phew, i know)

Onto bigger and better things: food. HAHA. But seriously, I’m gonna talk about food.

First up, pancakes.

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Not just any ol’ pancakes…SWEET POTATO pancakes!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1/2 c sweet potato puree 
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 c whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 t baking powder
  • stevia (to taste) or 1 t of sugar or agave
  • dash salt
  • 1/4 t cinnamon
  • 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk

Here’s what you do:

  1. Throw everything in the blender or food processor or use a hand mixer to get the batter nice and smooth. 
  2. Cook as you would normally cook pancakes (mine took a little longer on each side to ensure the puree was cooked and not leaving each cake super mushy)
  3. Optional: I topped mine with a mixture of pb2, water, and 1T cocoa. And sliced strawberries. It was perfect.

Next up, Carrot Cake

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I used the recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. Only problem with mine was that I split the batter into 2-8inch round pans and still baked for the directed time. That, combined with the stupid altitude, and my cake came out a tad dry. (Hence the scary amount of frosting I used to compensate)

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I’m still eating it, though.

Saturday night, Tyler made us ribs! They were so freaking tasty.

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We ended up being out for a little later than expected, and by the time we got home and got these suckers on the BBQ, we had to wait until about 10pm to eat them. It was SO worth it.

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I don’t know what rub Tyler used, but it was the first thing he put together when he woke up that morning. I think he’s going to keep it a secret. Just to WOW me every time we eat them.

TO WRAP UP:

1. Um, why have I never used the MapMyRun app before? (A: Because I don’t ever run outside) I gave it a go for the first time yesterday–carrying my phone with me– and I LOVED it! It maps your route, tells you your splits, distance, duration, calorie burn, yadda yadda yadda.

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2. My dog loves the sun just as much as she loves snow.

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3. I have now officially fallen in love with Bloglovin. If you read this blog, chances are you found it through another blog, and even more chances that you read lots of blogs. Most people are currently using Google Reader as a way of getting their blog fix, but that’s saying adios in a couple of months. With Bloglovin, you can import all the blogs you have on your Google Reader (automatically. there is no long, disastrous process of getting it done). 

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This site is pretty cool because it allows you to open the posts in a new window (or on your phone, it directs you to the original post) so that you can comment or whatever. But, when you want to ‘go back’ you don’t lose the post! Sounds confusing- probably because I am terrible at explaining things. What I’m trying to say is- go register with Bloglovin and get used to it before Google Reader goes away forever.

4. Read about why you don’t like the word Moist.

5. Leftover OJ from Easter? (aka: your mimosas were mi-mostly champagne) MAKE THESE. 

6. Why you should eat bell peppers.

7. You’re Not As Fat As You Think You Are. I re-read this a ton of times, took a few deep breaths, and felt a bit better.

8. BOOKS. I’m reading them. Yay! Here’s what I’ve got under my belt as of late:

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I’m currently reading:

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And have these next to read:

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Question: Any good eats or reads lately? Please share!!

 

 

Hey, What’s Up.

Hey, what’s up. Some things to share (per usual)

1. Last night, I intended on getting to the gym for a run, but I couldn’t stomach the idea of bundling up and such just to get there. So I opted for an at-home workout. I plugged my iPod touch into the speakers in my office and got right to work.

 

Whoa, you don’t need to see a picture of me. Sorry about that.

 

The ladder workout was part of yesterday’s designated workout from Best Body Bootcamp. I thought it was a little too easy (not sure if that means I need to up the weights, or up the reps or what. Or maybe I just wasn’t exhausted from cardio or something. Who knows)

I finished it off with 100 burpees. It felt so good. SO GOOD.

2. I have decided that I am not a huge fan of healthy living blogs. Correction: I think I have healthy living blog overload. Sometimes I am just NOT in the mood to see my twitter feed or google reader full of posts about exercise science or protein-packed meals or incredibly detailed workout regimes. (Am I guilty of that? Sometimes. But I try to keep a good balance of fun, fitness and whatever so that I don’t get myself in too tight of a niche) Plus, I think a lot of bloggers “fake” their lives online. Those pictures of only having one peanut butter cup? Not real. Yet, many readers think it is. And therefore, they feel guilty for consuming the entire bag.

I’m not accusing anyone or whatever, just saying that that information is a little too much for ME sometimes.

3. I tried to start The Happiness Project last night, but I just couldn’t do it. Not my kind of book.

 

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I moved on to The Casual Vacancy. 

 

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4. I am a crafting fiend. I broke out the glitter, glue, and paint last night and really got my christmas on. I’m not done with anything yet, so I have no awesome pictures to share. Plus, I plan on hitting up Michael’s again today, so who knows what’ll happen!

5. My family is cute

 

6. I have so many gifts to buy! My foodie penpal, my Canada blogger Christmas Swap, another gift for a White Elephant exchange, me… (haha on that last one)

7. I think it’s a Canadian thing to not wear shoes in the house. I hate that. I mean, I get that it prevents a lot of crap from being dragged in, but I have a dog. She drags in a ton of crap already, so what difference does wearing shoes make? None.

8. I will not be going home for Christmas. I am SUPER sad about it. (But at least I can enjoy my holiday decorations with my little family- see above). I am probably going to get comments about this one. Sorry people, I make no $$ and can’t really control the decision. I’ll be back at some point though, because I haven to get my wedding dress fitted.

9. Speaking of weddings, we finally decided on bridesmaids dresses (and their earrings). And I have emailed my coordinator to put together sample bouquets so I can actually SEE what the final product will look like.

10. I really want to have a cookie exchange party, but I don’t think you can really do that when all your friends live like 239572093 miles away- and in another country. Besides, cookies don’t hold up well when they’re stuck in customs.

11. Ok, I am sick of blogging right now. So I’m gonna go craft.

12. I would really love more followers on twitter and Likes on my facebook page. I would bribe you with a giveaway or something, but I can’t afford it. Plus, I don’t have companies giving me free stuff. Sorry. But, if you feel a little warmth in your heart, you’d do it anyways.

Your Turn:

  • What’s your favorite holiday cookie?
  • What’s your favorite holiday decoration?

Let’s get to it.

Happy Monday, folks. Let’s get to it.

1. I won 2 tickets to the Kensington Wine Market Wine Fest on Friday! I was so excited because I really never win anything- and this I could share with Tyler!. Unfortunately, he got my cold, so at the time he couldn’t really taste much. We still had fun though!

There were 80 wines to try, and they were separated by country. Only one bottle of each wine was opened, so we were encouraged to ‘move on’ to another sample to allow for others to get a try. They had some food catered- finger foods as well as meat and cheese platters (I got hooked on the smoked bison).

And Crave cupcakes!

The event ran from 7-9pm. At 8pm, they brought out the cupcakes and dessert wines. If I could have just drank port all night, I would have been fine with that.

I got a good laugh because everyone arrived very timid and quiet, and by the first 15 minutes, we were all buzzed and chatting. Tyler and I made nice with the Spain and US tables. MMmmmmMMM (I have the pamphlet they gave us which listed all the wines, but I have yet to take a picture to share with you. I would do it now, but I am typing this in bed and I’m too comfy to move. Maybe another time.)

So fun!

2. Saturday, we ran tons of errands. But who cares about those. When we got home a bunch of hours later, we carved our pumpkins!

Tyler’s came out better than mine. Whatever. I scraped the insides out of both of those suckers, so I’m the real hero.

His:

Mine:

And I roasted the seeds! I had no idea how friggin easy that was. AND TASTY.

4. Our post pumpkin treats were….beer. We indulged in some seasonal brews from one of my faves, Big Rock Brewery. We loved all three!

Autumn Wheat: Spiced Ale. Light in taste. Great with din din.

Loved the Espresso Stout! Only 4.2% alcohol content. It tasted like cold coffee with a hint of beer. There was absolutely no aftertaste. We both thought this would be nasty, but it was an awesome surprise. I could have drank about 6 more of them.

But I moved on..

Winter Spice Ale was 6.0% alcohol content, so I thought it would be massively strong, but it was still quite pleasant. Seriously, there is not a single beer from Big Rock that I don’t like. Good job, guys.

5. Oh, and I actually got dressed on Saturday. Like, makeup and everything. That never happens. Even Tyler gave me a double look because of it.

Not TOO shabby.

6. Yesterday I finished up my two midterms. Not fun, but after about 5 hours of work, I submitted both and the weight was immediately lifted. Now, only 5 weeks to go and I’ll have my Masters!

7. Layla is a lazy bum.

8. Workouts. Love em. Let’s talk about em.

Friday

Saturday

  • OFF

Sunday

  • The 100 workout

Oh wait, you don’t know what that is? Probably because I made it up. I was too busy making pumpkin pancakes, watching football, doing schoolwork, and finishing my book to get to the gym for any cardio yesterday (wasn’t up for cardio anyways), so I do a bunch of strength stuff in my jammies at home.

  • 100 pushups
  • 100 Gliding side lunges
  • 100 stability ball situps
  • 100 lateral raises
  • 100 wall squats
  • 100 leg lifts

Today will be an INTENSE cardio session followed by Workout A from BBB.

8. I bought toilet paper this weekend. I know, I know, it’s a big deal. I used to buy it at Target (in bulk), and it’s cheap. But grocery stores are significantly more expensive. I chose the cheapest one, which oddly enough was 3-ply. The verdict? 3-ply is no better than 2-ply, so don’t waste your pennies. #justsaying.

9. Started this book last night:

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10. Got the new Pink CD. Played it on Friday night after we got home from the Wine Fest, and of course I had a dance party (with myself. Tyler doesn’t dance, and Layla usually just stands in front of me and stares)

This one is my fave: (you probably won’t see the link if you’re viewing this through Google Reader)

11. Important notes saved on my phone:

 

These are very imporant

  1. Trash can liner size
  2. light bulbs for house
  3. light bulbs for kitchen lights
  4. weight conversion (mostly for meat in the grocery store)
  5. gas prices. I still don’t understand why they price it so crazy looking,

Ok, I have to get to the mall. See ya.

Ma, The Meatloaf!

Consider my day made. Lookie what yours truly got today

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And

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Bahaha yes! I don’t LOVE these books as in I’d tell you they’re my favorite, but I do love laughing at how dirty and cheesy the plot is. For reals. First 20 pages: “oh, woe is me, I’m a single girl and lonely” rest of the book: sex sex sex. Hahaha so bad.

Twyla and I hit up the Barbell Blast class today down the at the Eau Claire Y. It was great! Bing bang boom, we were a-movin’ and a-shakin’ and lifting those weights like they were going out of style. Only downfall: after class, we had to climb the dreaded stairs to get back to my car. That alone was a workout!

Dinner tonight was meatloaf.

“Mom, the meatloaf….F$&*#!”
Hahaha

This lady had no eggs in the fridge, so this is what I came up with

    1 1/2 lb ground beef
    1/4 chopped onion
    1/4 tsp salt
    1/4 tsp pepper
    1 cup milk ( I used almond)
    3/4 cup quick oats
    Ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients (use ketchup to top. See picture) and place in a loaf pan. Bake for 60-75 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes before cutting and serving.

The result:

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Pretty good. Really easy.

Especially for those nights when you don’t know what to make an just need something to schlop together
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Right now, I’m watching The Bachelorette and I’m 99.9% confident that I will barf before the episode ends. How is this show still on the air? Probably because doofuses like me who continue to watch it. #fail

Hey, did I mention you should follow me on twitter? Because you should. And Instagram. Add me @nutcaseinpoint

G’nite all. Who’s excited for Friday?! Plans? Please share!