Winter Blues Recovery

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Every single ounce of small talk I've had this week with neighbors, coworkers, cashiers, & gym-goers has has revolved around this weather. The consensus is... We've had it!

Well guys, sorry but, it's New England and it's still Feb so we have at least a month left of cold weirdness and random snowstorms to deal with. Ugh! But, I've decided to dump a bunch of images into this post that make me happy. Hope it cheers you all up - plus, we're two days away from the weekend - can I getta hand clap!?!

Maybe make a plan to do this, this weekend? Building an indoor fort, eating pizza and watching VHS tapes is more of a winter activity than a summer activity so it enjoy it while you can!

Gimme this Boston... now.

Do you guys do this when you oversleep? Because I do.  Like Kate Upton zero gravity leap into thin air. (I mean, kinda like that)

Donuts. That is all. <3

I want these Bostons, too. Immediately.

Give me a boom box, a mixed tape, F*R*I*E*N*D*S on repeat, the running man, zach morris phones, and teen beat magazine and I'm good to go.

Elephant Shoes. 

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A reminder that there are lot of cool places to visit right here in the U S of A! (Lake MacDonald, Montana)

I want this shirt!

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Tim Riggins.

Bora Bora. C'monnnn.

And finally, SAY CHEESE!

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Thursday is upon us. xo

Weekend in Review & Pesto "Spaghetti"

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I love 3-day weekends and this one was a great one (and so necessary)! I feel like the weekends have been flying by WAY too fast lately so a 3-day is exactly what I needed. We kicked off Valentine's Day with a delish meal at Gather... drinks, yummy apps, meals, & tiramisu for dessert. Can't go wrong!

On Saturday, one of Rob's best friends got married in the blizzard. We had a blast! The blizzard just made it more fun - we were locked inside with transportation to and from the hotel, great food, loud music, and most importantly, FUN people. That's all that really matters. The bride and groom exchanged their own vows and it was extremely touching and beautiful. Yesterday, I deemed myself the laziest person on the planet and so today was dedicated to getting myself back in order. Whew!

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I've been on a smoothie kick lately!  I haven't been posting them on here since the recipes are so simple... so I put them on all insta if you want to check them out here. Kale bores me on its own but, it's a nutrient powerhouse so I put it in all of my smoothies - can't even taste it - promise! This was today's lunch.

Cup of Kale, Half an Avocado, 3-/4-1cup of Frozen Mango, Couple-Few dashes of cinnamon and ginger, and Vanilla Almond Milk. So good!

I went to boxing 6 times last week so I thought it might be smart to go for a run and give these New Balance Fresh Foam kicks a test drive. They are so light and comfy! (Even though it was freeezingggg)

Time for dinner! I picked up a spaghetti squash at Foodies today and figured since I've been on such a kale kick, I'd try making kale pesto. Disclaimer: This kale-avocado pesto came out awesome, however, I'd go basil all day errryday moving forward... not worth the effort hiding the bitterness.

How to cook spaghetti squash you ask? Easy.

- Poke holes all over the dang thang

- Pop it in a 415 degree oven for a half hour (or less depending on the size of the squash)

- Flip it, and cook for another half hour

Cut it in half and let it cool for a little bit (or else you'll burn your hands). Then take forks and pull out all the "spaghetti".

For the pesto: 1/2 cup of Kale, Whole Avocado, 1/4 cup or so of Parmesan, 1 garlic clove, 1/3 cup or so of extra virgin olive oil, juice of 1-2 lemons, salt & pepper to taste. Mix it up in the food processor.

(I used more o/o and Parmesan than I usually would if I had just used basil instead of kale - see what I'm getting at? Not totally worth it. And, basil is healthy! I just wanted to try something new and didn't have any basil in the house)

Take a couple tbs of the pesto and add it to a saute pan with crushed red pepper, a pad of butter, shredded chicked (I baked chicken that I marinated in o/o, lemon, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt & pepper - shredded it and added it to the mix), and half of the spaghetti squash (or all of it if this meal is for two).

Top with Parmesan and crushed red pepper and serve. DELISH!

Have an awesome week! xo

 

Disclaimer: New Balance does not compensate me for reviews on their gear, however, they did provide me with that pair of fresh foam kicks. All reviews are my own.

Friday Favs_Valentine's Day 2014

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I love Valentine's Day. It is one of my favorite holidays. I know that sounds crazy because it's a Hallmark Holiday and kind of superficial, but, it really doesn't have to be! I was single for MOST Valentine's Days and I still loved it! My parents always made it special when I was little by giving me candy and cards (my mom still sends me a card every year). Freshman year in college, she sent me a Valentine Voo Doo doll because I had just gone through a break-up. Ha! Also, for some reason, when I was single, my best friend's boyfriends would always do something nice for me on Vday. In HS, Rachael's ex put a yellow rose in my locker as a thanks for helping me with her surprise. Michelle's husband would write me a Valentine ecard back when they were dating. So thoughtful! One guy in College wrote me a surprise Valentine that was the cutest thing ever - I never ended up dating him, but, I held on to the card. It was so risky and sweet!

My point is... single ladies - don't let this holiday get you down!  Either ignore it or go out with your girlfriends and have a fun night. To me, it's about love all around (and candy) which can be shared with anyone. Do something nice for someone and see how it makes you feel. That is what it's all about.

Today's Friday Favs has a Valentine's Spin for everyone! Enjoy and have a GREAT weekend!

 

About 4 or 5 years ago, I watched Cindy Crawford make Strawberry Pie on Oprah. I haven't made it in yearsss, but, remember it being the most delicious pie I had ever tasted. This would be an awesome treat for tonight. (and pretty easy to make (for pie))

Athena's #HeartMyHealth social campaign is super cute and just the motivation you'll need to get your heart racing for the good of your health this month!

Sooo the Olympic Village is HOT for Tinder... Can't say it's a bad idea... not a bad idea at all...

I NEED to make this heart-shaped cake. It is so stinking cute and looks super easy to make. I'd probably just use a box mix, Cherrybrook Kitchen has a great one. 

And finally, a little inspiration for the weekend...

Rob and I are headed to Gather tonight... he hasn't been yet so I'm really excited! This weekend, we're off to a wedding! What are you all up to? How are you spending the weekend?

xo