Just My Luck

This is the email I got from Park University today.

When do I graduate?  May 2012.  

When is Park finally getting the major I have always wanted?  August 2012.  

Is this just my luck? Yes

I have been struggling with lately.  Relationships, Graduating, School, Houses, Family, Future, and what I want to do with my life has been tossing and turning in my head for several days.  I have been so worked up that I am losing myself.  Being home in Savannah means the same monotonous routine.  

Wake up, watch television, workout, surf the web, read, go to bed and repeat.  

Living in a small town with nothing to do leaves you lost in your thoughts and today has topped the list of frustration.  All last night I was researching schools to get a nutrition degree and came to the conclusion I have no motivation to go back to school or the funds to manage and push through this obstacle.   The thought of wasting a few more years to get this degree turns my stomach.  I don't want to put my life on a hold.  

I dream of the days where I get married and have children and going back to school will push this dream even farther back.  

Today I was working out or rather getting out my anger and frustration and a song about Jesus came over my Ipod.  I had put this on my Ipod for my 2010 Chicago Marathon to maybe push me when I felt down and today it helped me out just a little more than it did in 2010.

I closed my eyes and I seen my future.  I want to be a photographer.  This has been my dream all along.  I never wanted to be in journalism but I chose the major photojournalism because photography majors do not get jobs.  I went to school to get a degree but through the whole four years I had one outlook and one outlook only: to own my own photography bussiness.  My boyfriend and I already have a "side" business: www.luminousreflections.com but I want this to be full time.

I want to set my schedules.  Edit when I am not shooting and working on a food/health blog on the days I am not working.

I do enjoy health and it is one of my strong desires and passions but I now see this will not be my career but something I just enjoy sharing from my blog or in a conversation with friends and family and ultimately through this blog.

I am going to hopefully spread the word around about my blog if someone does need health advice and through this device I will share the wealth of my knowledge.

Wish me luck on my journey.

Snack Time

Love these kale chips I got for Christmas!

A Honey Nana Kind-a-Day

Second day of being on track and I can already feel a difference with my energy levels.  I am waking up a lot earlier and I feel absolutely refreshed.

This morning I didn't feel like dragging out my blender so I went with a simple yogurt with Cascadian Farms granola on top.  My usual coffee with almond milk on the side.

I was going to run 6 miles outside today but it is a lot colder than I expected to be and I have a fear of running outside now.  I have ran many distances where I get so far and I can't make it back home because I have injured myself or I am just so fatigued.  I am hoping this fear disappears when training starts for my next planned races.

What are some of your workout fears?  Or any fears in general?

Someone Had a Little Too Much Eggnog

Merry Christmas or the day after...

This sums up my Christmas.  Oh Grandma, you are so cute.

Another year without my boyfriend.  We decided not to spend holidays with one another until we have a family because our families are too far away (2 hours).  No one wants to spend two hours on the road on Christmas day.

At the end of the night my mom and I made Strawberry Lemon Basil Mimosas

Adapted From Food Network Giada

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• Juice from 2 large lemons (about 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice)
• 1/2 cup agave or honey
• 8 medium fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed and sliced
• One 750ml bottle Prosecco, chilled
• 1/2 cup soda water or sparkling water, chilled

Directions

Combine the basil, lemon juice and agave in a pitcher. Using a wooden spoon, lightly crush the basil. Stir in the strawberries, Prosecco and soda water. Pour into chilled champagne glasses and serve. 

I think this will be our new tradition because they were THAT good.  Who knew basil could be thrown together with sparkling wine.

A few Christmas gifts which I shout out Hallelujah...literally.

Lisa Loeb glasses.  I have been wanting a pair of these forever...a pair?  Pretty sure there is only one.  But really, how can you look ugly in these?  I am getting my prescription filled this week!

And luggage!  I have been searching for the perfect luggage for months.  I needed something grow up but unique.  My last luggages were incase with pink lips and white polka dots.  Welcome big girl luggage!

So after consuming millions of calories in the past year I have welcomed back to my life livestrong.com.  Just in time for their new Iphone application.  Everything is always easier to get into when it's new.  If you don't feel like running go buy a pair of running shoes I guarantee you will run more.  Or if you don't drink much water go buy a awesome water bottle.  You will fill that puppy up 20 times a day.  Guarantee.  I am living proof.

So today I did just that.  Cleanse time.

(check out my photos.  Hello 60 mm macro lens.  Thanks mom!)

Blended Ingredients:

• Banana
• Almond Milk
• Ice
• Chia seeds
• Honey Nana Stonyfield Yogurt

Snack Time:

Great Harvest Dakota Bread
Light Butter

I am once again taking Be Hot and Be Wholesome from the Wellbeing line at GNC.  I didn't know a significant difference last time I took them but I wasn't eating the healthiest either.  I will let you know by the end of the supply how they worked out for me.  I did take one an hour before I worked out today and my energy was better than usual.

Workout:


1 mile (ranging from 6mph-8mph)
Circuit from Pinterest
weights (full body)
1 mile

Total: 1:10 hours


Dinner

Tofurkey

potatoes/onions

Mama's creation: pasta salad

Dessert

My new favorite: Alvear Cream

I picked this up for my mom for Christmas awhile back from Riverwood Winery.  They were having an international tasting and I knew my mom would love this.  It is a cream sherry and is full of flavor, a smooth almond hazelnut.  

Look at the perfection my lens creates!

And this my friends is a Sweet and Sara smore'

And I will leave you with this.
That would be a cow or pigs hoof.  I am not sure what it came off of but all I know it is disturbing.  Thanks mom for giving my dog a part of an animal which I don't have to use my imagination!

Look Who is Home...

From China!!!!

Christmas Eve Eve

Christmas is fast approaching.  Where did the time go?  Shouldn't we still be in the middle of October somewhere?

With Christmas comes New Years Eve right around the corner.  Which means Richard's birthday but most importantly time to make resolutions. (Just kidding!)

I had a huge list of resolutions circulating around in this little brain of mine but now that I sit down to pound out this post (finally) I am drawing a blank.  This season I find myself happier and more content than usual.  I have never made resolutions before but I think 2012 is the perfect year to resolve some ties which have become loose.

2012 Resolutions

1. Fix my digestion and get off medicine completely.  
2. Get rid of milk from my diet.  This has a lot to do with number one.
3. Try eliminating gluten.
4. Drink more water
5. No eating after 9:00.
6. Going to bed a lot early than I have been. (12:00!  Who do I think I am?  A college student?)
7. Track every mile ran in 2012.  
8. Lose 10 pounds before graduation.
9. Get a job I love.
10. Keep up with this blog.

I recently watched Forks Over Knives and found the studies and statistics very interesting.  I knew meat was bad for you but I did not know the amount of cancer it caused.  I also had no idea dairy was a close tie with meat.  I know cow's milk is dangerous to humans.  We are the only animal which drinks another animals milk.  Disgusting, really.  But somehow I can not pull myself away from cheese or ice cream, but mostly cheese.  I love coconut milk ice cream but when we go out for gelato I just can't resist!  I also have not succeeded in finding a non milk based cheese which is good.  And I am cheese kinda girl.  Oh and don't hold this against me but Ranch dressing tends to be my friend.  Eh, but 2012 is the time for changes, I can feel it.

 Bloopers.

 Who said you can't make an ugly Christmas sweater cute!?

Oh and I have become dangerous in the past couple months.  I carry a pair of guns now.  Watch out! Haha but really I have no idea where these have come from.  I have been lifting a lot more than running.  Every other day I try to incorporate lifting with a bunch of pushups.

If you are not feeling motivated or creative with your workouts you can always turn to Pinterest.

I have been incorporating this workout into my routine.  I guess all those pushups are paying off.  

Today has been a blah day I am hoping to pick up everything tomorrow.  I have realized I plan to do something productive everyday on break and somehow time slips through my fingers and before I know it I still have my sweatpants on at 8:00 at night and I feel like I am not really living life.  Let's add that to my resolutions.  Live life to its fullest.

I am Back

Said in Terminator voice.

Excuse my absence.  My head was buried in notecards and books and microwaveable dinners have been my main source of energy.  Then I had one week of sleep and nothingness to clear my brain.

I am back to being productive.  I strive on productivity.  It has been merely a week since classes I have ended and I am getting fidgety without a real schedule.  

I was looking through boxes and boxes of family photos when I came across this photo of my mom when she was in her 20's.  I can see so much of me in her in this photo.

As for my dad I hope I don't see too much of myself in him...

Look at how ripped he was when he was in his 20's.  Back in the day he was Mr. St. Joseph.

I asked him not long ago why he stopped body building.  He said he found something better to do, be a daddy.  Ehhh he may have been bluffing but he is my inspiration when I lift weights.  

This morning I had my typical morning coffee with almond milk.

And my favorite breakfast of all time.  I go through these food phases.  I consume so much of one food I get sick of it and then I forget about these foods until I walk by them in the grocery store.  Avocados and Mangos are my absolute favorite.  They are wonderful separate and combining them together make heaven in a glass.  It is smooth and creamy.

Avocado & Mango Smoothie

1 mango

1 avocado

Almond milk

Blend.

Pre-workout Snack

Justin's Nut Butter

 Vanilla Almond Butter

This is the best nut butter I have consumed.  YUM!

Kumbucha

A taste I have had to get use to but the benefits for digestion and detoxifying your body is worth it!

Too many dollars, too many calories.

Started the morning with coffee.

Ran 3 miles.

Went shopping with my mama and Gma.

Guess what I am selling Monday.  Why you ask?  I may or may have not bought and Iphone 4s.

If I couldn't sell this in the 30 day cooling period I would have taken back the 4s.  I don't see any difference in it except for Siri but the excitement of it has already started wearing off.

My mom spent too much money on me.

We consumed too many calories.

This was to DIE for.

Toasted Marshmallow Martini.

And now I am going to sleeeeep.