Less Than 48 Hours

You think my time is off?  That the royal wedding is actually in less than 5 hours?  Well that’s because I’m not counting down to that ridiculous nonsense (yep, you read that right, I’m a hater.) but to the take of my plane to HAWAII! 

Ok really, I haven’t had a single second to think about going there because I’ve been so busy with work, but I think it’s about to set in as I’ve got around a 10-11 hr work day tomorrow then BAM!  Pack and head out the door to the parents, attempt to run a long run Saturday morning with a friend and then I’m leaving on a jet plane!  Ok, not a jet plane but a big plane.  Same difference.

Anyhow as you can probably tell from my run on sentences I’m exhausted.  It was a long and warmer day out in the field with a serious amount of hiking with a lot of weight on my back so I’m pretty pooped.  Plus the blister on my left foot is killer.  And still bloody and covered with dirt.  I’m so clean aren’t I?  Don’t judge, I live in dirt alright?

But, I do want to thank you all for the kind and encouraging comments from yesterday What Would You Do post; it was definitely hard to get myself to do it initially but when I started speaking I knew it was the right thing.  Like one of the girls said, I was like a walking and talking OB Note! HAHA!

Ok, I’m off to sleep, get one more day of work in and then pack in a frenzy and I’m off!  AH!!!!  I’m sorry I don’t have any pictures for you because I was with my boss, but I promise, you’ll get some of me in Kauai.  Even, in a bikini.  Oh yeah, I plan on rockin this bod!

What Would You Do?

[[Side Notes: What Would You Do?

So, I don’t know if any of you watch the show “What Would You Do?” on Friday nights but I find it a very interesting show.  Basically they setup different circumstances and see how and if people react to the situation going on. 

Anyhow, I was watching an episode in March that really hit a cord with me, which included a young girl who met a modeling agent at a restaurant and basically belittled her on her size, even though she is as tiny as a whiff.

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I loved that there were definitely people who came out of their seats to confront the agent and console the young girl.  At the time I thought, would I have done something similar, or anything at all? Would I have been brave enough, or too scared?

Today, it happened.  Seriously, it could have been right out of the tv show; no joke.  I’m standing in the freezer section of the grocery store sulking over the prize of frozen berries when I overhear a mother talking to her daughter.  Behind me just happens to be the section filled with frozen diet dinners, like Lean Cuisines.  At first I don’t realize what they’re talking about until I really listen and she says, “Now pick out a bunch of these so you can take them to school and we can work on losing that pudge you’ve developed.  We don’t want you going off to college like that.” 

I could not have been more floored.  To me, commenting on people’s weight is seriously one of the worst things you could possibly do and I refrain from acknowledging this when I see old friends and such, and instead focus on the things they have accomplished, like running a race or traveling to a new place.

Anyhow, I couldn’t help but feel so much pain for this girl that I wanted to cry.  Her mother told her to look around and would be back to pick up the dishes she would choose.  I watched as she just stood there, staring at the package in her hand, head hanging low.  So, I decided to be brave and say something; anything.

I walked over to her and said, “Excuse me, and I’m sorry for eaves dropping, but I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation your mother was having with you.  Please believe me when I say that beauty is only skin deep.  I’m sure there are many things you have done and will do, to be so proud of.  Do not let your mother bring you down by telling you you need to lose weight, because you don’t.  I don’t know you, but when I look at you I see a gorgeous girl.  I’m sure you have much better things to do other than lose weight, because like I said, you don’t need to.”

At first I thought I scared the crap out of her because she just stared at me with a very blank look.  I thought I might have done the wrong thing, when tears started springing from her eyes.  Then I started to cry and it was a sob fest in the freezer aisle.  I quickly reached into my wallet and handed her my blog card and told her that if she needed someone to talk to, to email me anytime, or just check out my blog.

So young lady, if you’re reading this, you are a strong woman.  I don’t know you, but I’m sure in one way or another, you ARE.

What would you have done in that situation? Would you have said something? ]]

~~

Breakfast was cold and quick. Protein powder, frozen banana and strawberries, spinach, USVAB, rice puffs and go lean crunch.

It was a long morning but man oh man was it fun!  We found some new area to survey and checked out a gorgeous and pristine riparian area with more migrating birds than I could count or sadly, even ID.  Thank goodness we had one of our best birders with us to help with that!  Such a great experience!

I was supposed to do some more hiking but ended up being informed I would be doing it tomorrow, so I quickly at my pb and strawberry sandwich before hurrying off to do more surveys!

(Sorry for the very recycled picture, I was in a hurry!  So disregard the apple)

I was pretty tired while I was driving so what better than use chocolate as a pick me up!  I love Odwalla’s Chocowalla Bar.  No joke.  Even though I hate eating almonds in any way other than almond butter.  Eep.

I had an orange and a few baby carrots throughout the afternoon but was totally craving something savory and crunchy, which I had none of.  I ended up hitting up the grocery store and buying cereal (geez, go figure) and having a bowl for an afternoon snack before my run.  I ended up running an easy 4 miles in which the last 1/2 mile was hard because half way during the run I smelled something familiar: WILDFIRE!!!  There is one raging to the West of me right now but everyone is so damned engrossed in covered the stupid royal wedding I can’t figure anything out about it!  Ok, rant over, but it blew in a serious amount of smoke in a very short period of time, so I was hacking by the time I got home.

You can bet I was starving for dinner and since I’m going to be gone for a week plus I’m trying not to buy any produce or perishable foods, hence the repeat of foods the past week or so.  Sorry for that.

Tonight was nothing exciting, but I did get fresh eggs from Ginny so I made two and topped them on toasted sourdough vegetable bread with the last of my roasted butternut squash and some diced tomato.  Was delish, but compared nothing to dessert.

Dairy free vanilla ice cream with chocolate attune granola munch.

Oh.yeah.

THREE MORE DAYS!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!

And The Winner Is…

STEPH!!! There’s a polar bear thanking your right now for your support!  Please email me so I can get your gift out to you!!!

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I’m happy with all the comments you guys provided with me, including all the environmentally friendly actions you’re going to take this year to help the earth!  Thank you so much for your support!!!

Today was a great day in the field.  Well, other than having a very hard time ID’ing more than a few birds (so.many.migrants.) so although frustration ensued, it was fun overall!  The poppies are out too!

I was out like a rocket this morning for a long day and fueled up with a smoothie in a bowl. Someone asked me why I never drink them and well, it’s a mental thing.  When I drink smoothies, they don’t leave me satisfied.  But when I use a spoon, presto!  Hours of fullness!  LOL!

Nothing too exciting other than: spinach, USVAB, stevia, 1/2 frozen banana, 1.5C strawberries, 3T pb flour, guar gum, 1/2C rice puffs, and 3/4C go lean crunch. 

It was a busy morning and I was more than excited for my lunch! 

(Did you know that every inch of trunk growth on a
Juniper means 100 years of age!? Crazy!)

I actually only ate one thing in the first picture, the wrap of course.  I wasn’t feel’n the carrots and hummus after I finished the wrap.

(Oh man, my hands look dry and red!  Freak’n sunburn again!)

I think I wanted something sweet because the marsala burger in my wrap combined with the curried butternut squash left me with taste buds on fire!  Nothing better than strawberries!

By the time I got home I was absolutely famished and had to have a snack. Nothing beats bread and hummus, and two tangelos.  A little bit of Honey for background.

And then the school session started for me.  I went on a spree trying to figure out the birds I had seen today and man, was it hard.  A co-worker is heading out there tomorrow so I’m hoping he can ID it better than me, and let me know what I was seeing!

It was hours before I was ready for dinner and since I’m leaving in 4 days I’m resorting to all things canned….well, and frozen.  Haha!

This also goes to show how uneven my counter top is, because it almost went over the edge of the bowl just pouring it in there. Sigh.  Signs of living in earthquake country!

Anyhow, I combined a can of Amy’s Black Bean Soup with some frozen broccoli and cauliflower and sided it with a thawed out piece of pumpkin cornbread.  I over-nuked it a bit, so I had to soak it in the soup…but it made for more thickness anyhow!  Yay!

Dessert was a few pieces of dried mango and now I’m getting ready for another long day of work tomorrow in the sun!  I love my job!

True Test

[[Side Notes: True Test of my Growing Body Confidence

Almost two months ago I wrote about Muffin Tops, in two different contexts: I had just made two different kind of muffins and that I was worried about having a muffin top when I headed off to Kauai on April 30.

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It’s been almost two months since I wrote that post.  I bought a one piece bathing suit and was pushing myself to run and work out even more.  Then, I had a moment, and it’s been all uphill from there.

I’m happy to say that truthfully, I’ve given very little thinking/dwelling on the fact that in 5 (hopefully fast and) short days I will be in Kauai where it’s 90*F and I’m surrounded by beaches and blue skies.  Back in February I was terrified about going to the beach with Whit, having to run around in a swim suit and well, almost baring it all.  I was determined to find enough board shorts and camis to cover everything up and try to stay sane with the circumstances.

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Not anymore.  I’ve been so busy working the past few days that I’ve had little time to worry.  I had a bit of a glitch when I first injured my ankle the other week, but that came in went as I kept up with other things and ended my personal pity party.  It was a relief that I didn’t let myself resort back to my old ways and well, be miserable in the end because really, when would I have ever been happy or satisfied with what I saw?

I just keep telling myself, “The bikini will not determine how much fun you’re going to have.  It will not make surfing a horrible experience, it will not make beach going an embarrassment, it will not make food look forbidden or unacceptable for your body.  Who knows when you’ll ever go back.”

I never thought I was going to feel this way about going to Kauai. I truthfully thought I was going to be just as nervous and anxious about this trip as I was in February when I bought my ticket.  I thought I was going to be body loathing and full of regret for all the times I just sat around on the couch.  I never would have thought that I might have actually taken another step in recovery, one so much bigger than any other I’ve had.  One that is making such a difference that I’m even having a hard time putting it to words right now!

I just know it came, it’s here, and it’s gonna stay.

But I guess the real test will come when I get to Kauai, put that bikini on and walk onto the beach.  I’m believing now that I’ll be fine.

We’ll see.  Fingers crossed.  All of them.  Even my toes.  Hahaha!  ]]

~~

I spent the afternoon catching up on all the Easter posts from this weekend, along with a 40 min full body ST session on my living room floor, all with a sweet balancing act as Honey won’t stop rubbing against my legs.  It was interesting. I might have bonked her a few times with my feet coming down from different moves.  Move kitty!

I was hungry after I finished and slammed down this salad faster than I could say EAT! I had a big leafy salad with spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, butternut squash and a veggie burger. There were some crackers eaten on the side but they made the picture look bleh.

Now it’s time for bed!  I’m exhausted!!!  Geez!  How did the weekend go by so fast without be getting enough sleep!?  Yikes!

Holiday Weekend

So, I guess I was gone for a bit.  Ya know how it goes, friends, family, food.  Times gets lost of course!

Anyhow, I headed home with Whit on Saturday in time to help out wit the BBQ we were going to have, and finally spend some time with my best college buddy, Dana (whom recently got engaged! Congrats lady!)!!!

(Please disregard the drunk look on my face…we were in Vegas.  Hahahahaha!!!)

Saturday flew by in a flash and it was great seeing Dana since it had been almost a year.  Sunday morning I was ready to get up and at it, which included a run!  Now don’t worry, I’ve slowly been working my miles back up since my ankle injury and today I was able to finish a good 11.11 miles!  I took my time and well, it was raining so that made for a whole different experience.

My stomach wasn’t having it after the run so I ended up making everyone late to Easter.  Oops.  Good grief, I wasn’t feeling well!  Anyhow, being as old as I am now, there was no egg hunting for me.  Although, my mom did make an awesome basket for me at home…that included the movie Charlie St. Cloud!!!  Seriously, such a good movie and loving Zac Efron! Haha…ok…

Anyhow, the little kids went after the eggs.  They were so anxious they couldn’t keep still for the camera (Eh Mama Pea, I see Gig’s twin in thereeeeeeeee!)

And then, there was the traditional badminton.  My brothers always play against my Dad and his brother and boy oh boy is it always a funny game.  Judging from the picture, they didn’t do too well.  Ok, I lied, they actually won.  Haha.  But look how intense they are!  People may or may not have fallen over a few times.

I got home last night late and hit the hay super early because I was exhausted.  The run on top of all the stuff and driving (over 400 miles!) we’d done this weekend I was pooped!

Since my stomach had been giving me trouble I settled on a pretty easy and all natural breakfast that included: 1/4C pb powder, 1/2C UNVAB, spinach, 1.5C strawberries, banana and guar gum.  I added in a 1/2C Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice – Gluten Free Cereal and 1/4C Lower Fat Vanilla Almond Granola by TJ’s.

Hours late I was ready for lunch so I sat down for leftovers.  Even the strawberries.

I made a veggie side dish for Easter but I don’t think people were fans, as my cousin’s husband’s famous Lasagna and homemade bread was there, so I took home all the leftovers.  Hey, I ain’t complaining!  My dish included asparagus, onion, sesame seeds, sesame seed oil, soy sauce, and FAVA BEANS!  Yep, I finally used them!

I mixed it with a few handfuls of chopped spinach for lunch, along with a piece of veggie sourdough bread from the bakery.  Great combo!

I was exhausted by the time I finished work so I had a zbar to keep me awake on the way home, and immediately went to pick up my kitty!

Man, somehow in the span of three days she’s learned how to jump on the top of the fridge.  Uh, how did the happen?  She’s not even allowed on the counter!!!  I’m gonna fix that …cause I have a squirt gun. Girl hates water. hah!

Time to watch Charlie St. Cloud because I haven’t seen it since it came out and…I’m tired.  I need a freak’n nap.  It’s gonna be a long…..week.  But my mantra?

“At this time next week, you’ll be in Kauai…you can do this.”

Time To Stop

Oh man, what a day. 9 hours in the same spot is brutal.  I can’t tell you how stir crazy I got.  It was hard, no doubt.

I didn’t have to start work as early so I got to take time for breakfast, but I was still lazy, so I had the same one as yesterday.  I did notice though, that my oats have started to give me a really horrible amount of pain after I eat them. For like hours, debilitating.  It’s rather ridiculous as I never make my oats any different and use the same ingredients…so I’m puzzled.  Suggestions? Anyone not able to eat oats? What kind of problems do you have with them?

Anyhow, hours later the pain finally subsided and I was finally able to recognize the signal for hunger.  I couldn’t decide what to have so I had the second to last chunk of Blackberry Chocolate Chip Bread. 

That apparently didn’t do anything for my hunger, but I wasn’t super hungry, so I decided to just eat half my wrap for lunch, and save the other half for when more hunger would come my way. I use a flaxseed whole wheat wrap with mustard, lettuce, cucumber and a veggie burger.  Was just what I wanted.

I ate the other half about an hour and a half later and then snacked on a few things throughout the long long long afternoon hours…Endangered Species Raspberry Dark Chocolate…4 pieces…

And TJ’s Dried Mango.  No joke, I could eat this day in and day out.  There is no added sugar like regular dried fruit so you k now I’m all over it.  I won’t even admit to how many packages I’ve gone through in the past two weeks.  It’s embarrassing.

9 hours of this…that is all.

I wanted to go for a short run or something upon getting home after sitting all day, but I was starving so I just headed home to make a huge salad with veg crumbles, salsa, veggies and leftover corn chips on top. Ah veggies…and all organic!  Yay!  My Earth Day contribution!

Now I’m chilling out with some peppermint tea and winding down with a movie (The Other Bolyn Girl, seriously, awesome movie and Phillipa Gregory’s books are GREAT!)..even though I have so much to do before heading home to see my family this weekend. Gahhh…I need sleep.  And clean laundry.  Expect a big pile Mom.  Seriously, all my clothes…

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!

[[Don’t forget about my Earth Day Giveaway! 
It’s supposed to end today but I’m going to extend it to Tuesday, 26th of April!   So you still have time to help the environment!!!]]

Seriously, my favorite day of the years.  Christmas and Thanksgiving don’t stand a chance against the best thing well, the planet!

I thank the earth for all the beauty that it brings into my life. I couldn’t ask for a better way to live!

I’ve had a whirlwind of a week that’s ending on a long 10 hr work day…but don’t worry, I may be sitting in one spot for 10 hours today but I’ll be relishing in sitting on this beautiful planet!  Besides, I can’t complain about the food it provides me with too!

Dinner was at a party and was some Tostitos chips with bean dip and a few veggie kabobs!  I was way hungry when I got home late so had a bowl of kashi go lean crunch before hitting the sack! I was tired!

Time for some bird searching!!!

Work, Work, Work

Long work day, so wordless post other than: Don’t forget about my Adopt an Animal Giveaway! Come on people! Lets get those comments up!!!

Otherwise here’s most of today…missing is a veg soup and avocado salad for dinner, along with a bowl of go lean crunch and a few Cadbury eggs…and no exercise.  Too tired!

Off to Thursday!  We’ll see how it goes…ahhhh…only a 10 more days until Kauai!!!