A Week In Pictures

Okay blogworld, I know you missed me as much as I missed you this past week!! Sadly, I cannot believe I didn't get a single post out or even really read any blogs this past week....craziness!! Because I have obviously been so busy and because you care so much about what I have been up to, here is a quick run down in random order of the past week!!

First and foremost, I spent the few hours I was not working this past week looking like this:

I managed to get in several great running workouts, a few games of tennis, an hour of cycling, and a couple sessions of abs :) Besides the amazing post-workout rush of endorphins, I love being able to workout with my husband and our littlest fur-baby, Gator, they are two of the greatest motivators in the world!!

After having a number of house guests for the last month and in preparation for my mom's short visit, the house was in need of some deep cleaning!! Sadly, not only did this cleaning take multiple days and hours, but the amount of cleaning supplies needed to clean our house would not fit into one pic, so the supplies needed for just the bathroom will have to suffice.

Along with cleaning, also comes the dreaded job of laundry...I don't mind washing clothes, but I kinda loathe hanging them up and folding them, but I do love the look of an organized closet, so the reward is worth it in the end, or at least that's what I tell myself!! And no week is complete without grocery shopping, so here is a peak into our fridge :)

Also in the midst of the deep cleaning frenzy, Braden and I were FINALLY able to get the office unpacked and organized. Somehow, I have managed to move files/ bank statements and bills (for accounts I no longer have)/ and a bunch of other junk across the country and back!! Though it felt like I was throwing away a part of who I used to be and pieces of my life that made me into who I am today, I proudly have now shredded all those old docs and combined and organized all of mine and the hubs files from the past 9 years!! While going through all of those files, I have also decided paperless/e-statements will be my new best friend!! Here is the finished product of our hard work, though we will be replacing the plastic, mobile file boxes with another filing cabinet eventually, the hard work is done!!

One highlight of the past week was a low-key date night with the hubs. This low-key night called for Banana Republic ankle-length skinny jeans, Gianni Bini flats, and my Dooney & Bourke satchel. After a busy weekend cleaning & organizing the house, we headed out to Outback for some drinks and apps and just spend some time relaxing and talking. For those who know us really well, we are not big into relaxing, as we are always busy working on turning our dreams into reality, so relaxing nights are few and far between but much appreciated when we take them!!

Besides, date night, the other highlight to the week was my mom and sister coming to visit for a couple short days...somehow, the only pic I managed to take while they were here was of my sister at Tiger Town during one of our many shopping excursions. Besides shopping at several big-box stores and a couple workouts, we checked out a few local boutiques, enjoyed food from a number of local eateries, and ended the visit with a trip to Tutti Fruiti and a walk around the Auburn University campus at night!

And because no healthy living blog would be complete without mention of food or workouts, so here are a few culinary hits and misses from the week. An easy, tasty dinner classic with a twist....California BLT (whole wheat bread, smart beat 'mayo', xtra-lean turkey bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato)....the avocado really makes this sandwich!!

Whole wheat and oat pancakes topped with fresh peaches & pecans from the farmer's market and a little sugar-free syrup made the perfect Sunday morning breakfast.

And as tasty as those pancakes and Cali BLT were, I managed to make an equally un-tasty dinner one-night (the horrible taste is reflected in the horrible picture quality). Though the husband said it tasted good, I found the only thing edible from this meal was the plantains....the honey-balsamic glazed tofu and the sauteed kale and onions were just plain not good!!

I am not afraid to admit, I love sweets, especially at the end of a long day and warm cookies are an amazing way to end the day, so I shared chocolate chip cookies with the hubs ....TWO-nights in a row!! Side Note: I believe in eating healthy, but I am also a strong believer in not depriving yourself of foods you love....its all in moderation! Sooo, two cookies will not kill me but they will put a smile on my face so it's all good :)

I believe in eating a healthy breakfast as much or a little more than I believe in eating chocolate chip cookies before bed, thus here are two breakfasts eats from the week. I have been really digging bagel thins and love topping them either with almond butter & and a couple dabs of honey or fat-free cream chez and pepper jelly from the farmer's market...either option provides me with essential carbs & protein. I also made a very refreshing Green Monster (peaches, banana, greek yogurt, honey, almond milk & spinach) which was the perfect refreshing treat after a torturous workout of hill repeats!!

Not only is this the longest entry I will probably ever post, but because I kept fighting with blogger, this hopefully will be the longest time it takes me to get an entry posted!! No more fighting blogger, no more!!

Question of the day: What blogs do you read regularly?? I am always looking for new blogs to read...anything from food, fashion, fitness, home decor, DIY, etc....my interests are diverse :) Also, I would love to meet new people in Auburn, so if anyone out there is looking for a new friend in Auburn, I will volunteer :p