A Few Things…

Have gotten in my way since yesterday for me to post!  Being down in the Everglades can be so fun yet so daunting all at the same time.

Anyhow…yesterdays hike went great!  Well, other than being poured on, then having thunder clapping directly over your head and lightning striking not too far in the distance.  We only accomplished walking 6 miles because we didn’t even walk the trail we had wanted, as we couldn’t find the entrance path to get onto it.  So yeah,  otherwise I don’t have too many pictures to show as Brad has most of them on his camera, but I did catch a few:

Now that is what’s known as a Leatherback and it tried to bite my foot.

And this is a preview of how wet and dirty I got.

I had a blast though!  I forgot how much I really really liked hiking!  Though over mountains and hills would be much nicer…

Now to the food!  It was really early when we headed out so I grabbed this to enjoy as I walked out the door.

Dude, this PB was freak’n awesome.  I bought them on a whim to take with me out in the field for emergency purposes…but used it here.  It was an emergency, right?  I needed something fast and quick and didn’t want to wake up Jean walking around in the trailer!  Anyhow, I still have the original and cinnamon to try, which I’m super excited about. Too bad they run about $0.69 a piece…which for a jar of PB that would hold about 2.5 cups would cost about $22!!!  This is why it’s rare I buy these things…

We hiked and hiked…and I drank too little water which left me dehydrated since it was so hot and humid…so I drank a bunch of water when I got home…and dug straight into a great lunch and snacks thereafter:

hummus, tomato, spinach, cucumber sandwich on whole wheat w/ a mango and a piece of chocolate raspberry bread…

Apple and more pb…

And spent the afternoon snacking on this new item and a pretty funny and informative bird book…I thought the PB cups were just ok though.  Maybe I’m just so used to good ol’ Reese’s PB Cups but the pb filling was kinda bland/not sweet enough and the chocolate was super super bitter.  Don’t know I’d buy them again…

We headed out into Miami, well, if you’d even call it Miami, to the Dolphin Mall to get dinner and wander around.  We ended up at TGIFriday’s, which I’m never a huge fan of because there is nothing much for me to pick from.  I butchered one of the salad entrees and ended up with the Santa Fe Chicken Salad, SANS chicken, cheese and dressing on the side.  And goodness, what a WASTE OF DRESSING.  Seriously, who would use that much in a salad? 

We walked around the mall…and of course I had to find some fro-yo because well, HELLO: it runs in my BLOOD!  Hahaha…but can you believe the price I actually paid for it?!  It’s because it’s freak’n Hagen Daz…flip’n rip off.  But it tasted good while what little of it was there…

And Brad opted for French Fries…which we wanted to steal from people’s plates at the restaurant but didn’t. Rip off for him too…

We got back a bit late and hung out a bit where I had a huge fuji apple and some h2h cereal out of the box.  That salad did nothing for me at all in terms of my hunger.  Blah!

Slept in kinda this morning…7.30?  Layed around for a bit playing Solitaire on my iPod then headed out for a short run in which I included some speed work.  I jogged a good 2 miles, then timed myself running pretty hard core for the third (coming in at 8:02…not bad in this humidity, on a back country road having to run into the very tall grass every time a car drove by!) and then jogged a 1/2 mile back home.  From there I did 3x100 sprints and stretched really well afterwards.  Whoeeee though, was I dripping in massive amounts of sweat!

I was pretty light headed by the time I got cleaned up so again, dove into my breakfast as fast as humanly possible!  I’m on the verge of no food so things are kinda half hazard as far as meals..but breakfast was a bit of h2h, unsweetened Silk soymilk, a banana and some pb…the pb got all liquefied though so I barely tasted it. Boo.

I ended up playing more solitaire then falling back asleep until I headed over to work on more job stuff w/ Brad…then dug into lunch: TLCrackers, an apple, and cucumbers with hummus.

And this…Pumpkin Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bread:

And more TLCrackers…

More job stuff!

But congrats to MEGHANN AND BOBBI on their MARATHON this morning!!!!  Ladies, YOU ROCK!!!

Ohhh…Snackface.

Yes, that was me today… I could not satisfy my stomach AT ALL today…ergo enter: SNACKFACE (and yes babe, you rock with that name).

After breakfast I was still famished so I snacked on some kashi honey sunshine…and a piece of raspberry chocolate chip bread.  Man, I love this bread.  Raspberries and chocolate are the best.  Omg, imagine if the raspberries were dried and covered in dark chocolate…OMG OMG OMG.

Anyways…I worked the morning and afternoon away working on various snacks…like this loving apple:

Some cashews (and there are some raw peanuts mixed in the bag too):

And my favorite new snack: CARROTS!  With added hummus.  No picture…was consumed in 2 seconds flat.

Dinner was…besides the word grand, but the best I could do for the circumstances: apple and cherries, black bean soup with added spinach and a serving of TLC crackers.

And dessert: Chocolate Pumpkin Bread.

I just realized I had a total of three pieces of baked bread today…is that bad???  Oiy!

And this is what it’s like tonight…much nicer than last night!

Tomorrow holds adventures for me as I’m going on a nice hike in the Everglades early in the morning to watch the sunrise…8 miles total!  Then the rest of the day is up in the air!!!  Happy Weekend!

Can I be Jealous?

That my dearest friend Meghann is flying to my second home to run a race that I would give anything to try racing again?!?!?!?! 

(here was me in the aftermath of it when I ran the 2nd half after being injured…I looked horrible!)

I would give anything right now to have been able to train w/ her for that race…but like one of my other dearest friends Caitlin, I have run many other races that my legs have been able to get me through…and that they still work period with all the years of running I’ve been doing!!!

But, enough of me feeling sad that I can’t be there to run…

Best of luck to you on Sunday Meghann, and Bobbi too!!!!

Now to our regularly scheduled food blogging!

Yesterday was a super long day in the car trekking across the state of Florida…how I’m not going to miss these 10 hr driving days!  Since I made a chocolate pumpkin loaf the other day I had leftover pumpkin and decided to use it up in a breakfast cookie…which tasted like BARF.  Yes, it sure did.  What a waste!

So by the time mid-morning rolled around I had to have a snack or I was going to pass out on the boat: mini clif and apple.  We were out on Istakpoga Lake to radio a baby bird but he was no where to be found…so he either fledged (which we hope) or died…:(

Then while making the almost 2 hr drive to the turnpike to drive even further down to the Everglades I had my lunch: two carrots, cherries and a hummus/tomato/spinach sandwich!  I love this lunch!!!

 

And of course I couldn’t not have dessert: chocolate chip raspberry bread.  OMG so good!

We finally made it down to the Everglades after battling through all the nasty rain and I went for a walk w/ Brad to catch up over the past few days…and saw all these lovely buddies:

Hahaha…I love the sign too.  And of course check out how the weather changes in the span of just over an hour:

It got nasty after that w/ the thunder and lightning (which I got video of and plan to do some cropping for pictures later!) so I settled on a fast and not-very-hearty dinner because I was still way hungry afterwards: black bean burger w/ spinach and tomato and a mango.

I had a mug of h2h w/ unsweetened Silk soymilk later..and a handful of raw cashews.  That settled my hungry tummy.

Onto this morning!  I woke up when everyone else did even though I was staying at the trailer to work on GIS but decided before I started I wanted to get in a run.  I’m trying to get back into it and ease my legs back in pain free…keep your fingers crossed for me!  I ran a total of 4.5 miles on the road and got way SWEATY and DIRTY in the process.

 

Ok, not very dirty…just covered in seeds; can you even see them in that picture?

By the time I cleaned up I was starving so I dove into breakfast: mashed banana mixed w/ a tablespoon of pb on a piece of raspberry bread…OMG heaven in every bite!

Ok, now I need to get back to work!  I’m spending the weekend in the Everglades stuck at the trailer because we don’t have personal cars…goodness gracious what am I going to do to keep myself sane!!!???

Look At Me Work

So, to give you a better visual of what I do at work about 1/2 the time…with the other half sitting on the boat for copious amounts of time doing surveys:

Nest Checking:

Radio Packing Nestlings:

And here is my boss releasing the bird I’m hunched over trying to shade w/ my body:

How much does that rock?  And all for the Snail Kites!  YES!

Otherwise I had a great food day though!  Lots of fun foods and of course CHOCOLATE!

Breakfast was super early this morning at 5.30 right before I headed out the door to go band some more birds…or at least try to!  I had a mix of kashi sunshine, h2h with a banana, almond breeze, all topped of w/ peanut butter.  :)

 

After we finished on our first lake I got hungry around 9 and had this wonderfully apple-y snack: kashi TLC baked apple spice bar and an apple.  I forgot how much I liked these bars!  The berry ones are even better though!

On the drive home around 11.30 I had a piece of my raspberry bread and two carrots.  I think I want to be a rabbit. :E

Lunch came around a while after being home and was part of what I had packed and part of what I had at home: hummus/tomato/spinach sandwich w/ another apple and natural pb.

I had a snack a bit later of the rest of my chocolate chocolate chip banana bread and some extra vegan chocolate chips while I was baking…

I ended up going for a nice run this evening before the rain came back and logged in a nice 4.12 miles on the road.  I stretched a little when I got back because I was kinda tight in the calves.

I have seen lots of people with taco salads in the blog world…and it’s been making me drool.  So I had a simpler version because I didn’t have most of the stuff to make a real one.  I resorted to using a black bean morningstar farm burger, adding in gated carrots, tomatoes, cucumber and corn on top of spinach.  I had some strawberries on the side for a bit of sweetness and to round out the meal.  I must have fruit w/ every meal!!!

And now I have to pack because I found out I’m going to be going down to the Everglades for I don't know how long…Which means crappy blogging by me in the future.  Booooooo.

But…because I’ve been working early mornings I have lots of time to have fun doing this like this in the evenings (courtesy of Miss K):

what are you wearing right now? Dirty field shorts and a dirty field shirt…I really need to shower.  haha

what’s the last thing you read/are currently reading?? I read the Nature Conservancy Magazine, does that count?  Otherwise I’m reading Lamb.

do you nap a lot? I can fall asleep in the worst places…but mostly in the car or reading at a computer.

who was the last person you hugged? Brad

what’s your current obsession/addiction? Don’t know that I have one right now.

what’s for dinner? Burgers!

what was the last thing you bought? I haven’t bought anything other than food this month as part of my Simple Life Challenge!  Too bad I spend lots of money on food!!!!

what are you listening to right now? Sara Bareilles: Love Song.  Love this girl!

if you could have a superpower what would it be? I’ve answered this before and I can’t remember what I said…something about saving things I think…

what is your favorite weather and why? Upper 80’s with a slight breeze and very few clouds in the sky.  No humidity either!

what time do you usually wake up? could be anytime between 5.30 to noon.  That’s how I roll…out of bed.  >P

what is your most challenging goal right now?  Trying not to eat out of boredom and get my butt into great applying for jobs!

favorite pair of shoes that you keep going back to over and over even though you have a zillion others? My converse…or old navy flip flops…

name one thing you can’t live without ? Friends and family.  They help me stay sane.

what time is bed time? Between 10.30 and midnight most nights.

if there was one place you could be right now where would it be? AUSTRALIA!!!  Err…or New Zealand…or Greece…so many places!  Or HOME WITH THE FAMILY!!!!

yay!

Kaboom!

So, I attempted to run this evening…but half way through it the lightning was so close I turned around and BOOKED IT back to the trailer.  I haven’t run that fast in soooooo long!  But man, was my blood running like it was on FIRE!!!  Anyhow, after I finished that fiasco I came back and did some strength training w/ 6 lb weights…I suppose the normal and regular exercises…

What do you consider normal or regular strength training exercises?

My stomach was upset after and before the run because of the stupid yogurt I had earlier…I suppose I really need to stay away from the milk products…but I love my cheese and yogurt!  Anyhow…I had most of my mango and some blackberries for dinner, with an egg and two whites w/ spices, and spinach in a honey wheat flat out…LOVELY.

And then afterwards I had a bit of lactose free vanilla ice cream…(Brad, I think by the time you get back it’s going to be gone.  Sorry babe…I’ll buy you more!)

But the best part of the evening was the surprise package I got in the mail from Once Again Nut Butter!  I got a code from a blogger a bit back (I’m sorry, I forgot who it was!!!) and decided to try the smooth peanut butter…I need to finish up the jar I have now but I can’t wait to try this new one!!!

I’m watching Zodiac now and winding down for the night since we have another super early morning tomorrow!  I can never get enough of my Jake!!!

Shooeeey!

I think I like making titles that are more like exclamations…new trend?  Haha!

Ohhhh boy was this morning early!  After spending all day on my feet yesterday w/ Brad and Meghann at Universal I was pooped last night!  I tried to get to bed early but we still had work to do and discuss so bed time did not come until after 11pm…

I woke up and wasn’t quite hungry at 5.20am so I opted to wait until later.  We went out and banded on bird on Lake Kissimmee and that’s when I finally had a breakfast, of sorts.  I had a piece of raspberry bread and a banana.  How exciting huh?  And even better…I don’t have a picture…because I didn’t have my camera…

Which means no pictures of lunch!  Well, I had an apple before hand, but who wants to see a picture of my plain old Braeburn apple, eh?  Alas, lunch was eaten on the drive home to keep me awake in the truck: lots of cherries (which cost me freak’n 10 dollars because I read the ad wrong and it said SPECIAL 3.99/LB, not 3.99 A BAG!  Oh well…they taste really good though!  I also had a hummus, tomato and spinach sandwich and two carrots.  I <3 carrots so much.  So sweet!

By the time we got home and unpacked and I finally got caught up on some emails my tummy was growling again…so I grabbed the nearest thing to me:

I love this bar!  It is seriously one of my fav of the Kashi crunchy series…but it didn’t keep me as full for as long as it normally does…so I had this nice little treat afterwards: plain greek oikos w/ kashi honey sunshine and some semi sweet chocolate chips.  I’ve been craving chocolate hard core for a few days so I gave into my CRAVING…:)  Caitlin would be so proud. :)

Now I’m diligently making harnesses for more baby birds…till dinner!

Think Pictures

As much of a food blogger as I am, ie always w/ camera, I am so bad at actually taking pictures of people, aka me and my friends!!  How sad is that?!  But today at Universal Studios w/ Brad and Meghann I made a conscious effort to take more pictures!

I started off the morning w/ a huge bowl of cereals and a banana w/ almond breeze in hopes of it keeping me full throughout the morning but because I had such a small dinner the night before I was still hungry two hours later, in which I consumed a luna bar and a piece of my chocolate chocolate chip banana bread.

So Brad and I headed up nice and early to Orlando to meet up with Meghann and head over to Universal.  I have every intention of getting the 10% discount off of $75 one day one park ticket, courtesy of her annual pass, but when we got there we found out we could get the one day two park ticket for 50% off!!!  I was super stoked and excited to save some money!  So off we went!

We hit up all the good rides courtesy of Meghann’s Universal knowledge, such as the Hulk, Spideman and the water rides!

 

Meghann and I both know how much Brad wanted this on the blog. :)

 

And of course, we got completely soaked…and I was wearing shoes.  Which resulted in me buying flip flops…oh well, can never have too many of those!

Lunch was pre-packed as I know how theme parks can rip you off.  Unlike Meghann I didn’t prepare very well but did have a pb sammy on an arnold’s thin…and brad had pb and J on ww bread…his and hers!

Then of course we hit up things like Jurassic Park!!!  I love this movie!

Before we headed over to the other park we made a mandatory stop for fro yo…the one thing about living so far away from everything is missing out on these babies…Pb and chocolate.  Eat it up!

Being a blogger!

And luckily we left just in time around 5.30 because this is what started rolling in…booo rain!

I was starving by the time we left so we hit up Winter Park and had dinner at this little place:

I had a veggie/portabello sammie on ww w/ a side salad and Brad had an interesting combo of a wrap w/ smoked turkey, brie, apple, sprouts and a Mediterranean salad.  It was a great way to end the night.

Now I’m pooped and have a 5.50am starting call tomorrow!  G’night!!!