Friday Favorites

Oh, this week. I am glad this week is over. I have my big ol’ Finance final tomorrow morning and I know NOTHING Finance related. I’m just ready to get it done and hope I pass it so I don’t have to re-take the course. If you need me…i’ll be studying all night long. Sigh.

But it’s still Friday and we’re linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites today!

When I’d paint my nails or get them done as a young lass I always got pink…or red because they were always safe and my FAVORITE. So a couple years ago I made a vow to not do either of those colors so I could branch out. Last week however, I went with this pink Flirt Alert and love how bright it is. It just puts you in the mood for Spring!

Last Thursday Reeana and I met up at Starbucks after not having seen each other in a while. I got there early to do a little quiet time and read. Meeting up at Starbucks with one of my best girl friends and drinking coffee is for sure one of my FAVORITE things. Oh and don’t forget to read my thoughts on Hoda’s book. That was a FAVORITE too.

But another FAVORITE of ours happened to be when this lady walked in and legitimately had these dragon spikes weaved in through her braid. What in the actual heck? It all made sense when we walked out and she was knitting yarn characters together…

I created my own little ham, egg, and cheese. When I was young (apparently I am reminiscing today) my FAVORITE breakfast used to be ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches from Casey’s General Store. Now that I can no longer have cheese and bread I improvise. This morning I threw canadian bacon, egg whites, and spinach into a pan to heat up/cook And then melted some cheese on top. Hey…it works! 😉 And tomatoes on the side because it’s one of my FAVORITE things to eat right now too.

I told you last Wednesday that I was so excited to try out Shakeology because eveerryyyoonnneee talks about how it is their FAVORITE. Well, it finally came in the mail Wednesday night. We already had plans for dinner…

…but first thing yesterday morning I made it! I asked Kylie why it was so little and she informed me that you’re suppose to put more liquid in it #shakeologyfail #imanamateur. I liked this one it tasted like brownie batter so I’m excited to try the strawberry (probably today).

You can’t read my tank, but it says “the gym is my happy hour”…here’s a red one. I think mine came from Target but it’s only the plus size one online. (Target has buy one, get one 50% off all women’s clothing and shoes right now by the way!!)

My Insanity class was at 4:30 this day, so I got there around 4:10 to stretch, get out of the house, relax, and take this necessary selfie. ALL MY FAVORITES. I get compliments and I feel like a powerhouse in it. Don’t you have clothes that make you feel powerful too?!

I did this the other day and I know I’m awkward, but I wanted to share my FAVORITE easy little exercise to do right now.

Soooooooo…

1.It’s weird watching yourself on video, I made some strange faces.
2. I’m sorry for all the “um’s” I didn’t prepare before hand this was improv!!!
3. Super cute thing I do with my hands at the end…*covers eyes*.
4.  THIS stability ball comes with 2 workout dvds, a yoga band, and a pump. Such a good deal for less than $14!
5. I hope you still love me after watching this. After all I did thank you (haha I don’t know why, I think for watching)!

Okay have a super weekend!!! Come Monday I am going to be a happy camper. No class for 3 weeks! Booyah!

Bookworm Wednesday: May

Happy Bookworm Wednesday!!

Every first Wednesday Katie and I host this link-up. Grab this graphic, blog about your reads for the past month, and then link to Katie and I. Submit your link below….it’s simple. And fun. I hope you join us! 🙂

I read THREE books this month and I learned this month that my favorite books to read are  about people I know. I love those little memoirs and autobiographies. Being able to connect the person with the paper just makes reading that much more fun for me! Get ready for more of these in June….and don’t forget to mark your calendar for June 1st for our next Bookworm Wednesday!

So my last day in Omaha over Spring Break this March, my aunt and I went to see Miracles From Heaven. Her friend was over earlier that week and talked about how great it was. I hadn’t heard anything of it and after they told me what it was about I was like “sure, why not?” People. I LOVED IT. If you haven’t seen the movie you need to! That’s why when I saw Miracles From Heaven the book at the store, I knew I was buying it.

For those of you who haven’t heard, this is the story of a little girl who has a VERY rare disease where her intestines basically don’t process any of her food. She’s constantly in pain with a distended stomach. Her mom takes her to Boston for treatment and it basically goes through the horrors of the entire process. One day she falls in a tree and hit her head just right that it cured her disease. Crazy story, but so fascinating.

I’m really glad I saw the movie first actually (I know, that’s a surprise) but the way Christy Beam writes the story the thoughts are bouncing around and I probably would’ve been confused. Regardless, I am so happy I read it because there really wasn’t much difference between the movie and the book. Jennifer Garner plays the mom in the movie and I heard somewhere that after she starred in the film, she started taking her own kids to Church again. What an amazing way to share your faith!

The next book I read was Fearless by Max Lucado.

I usually try to make one of my reads each month a Christian book. Now, I struggle with fear. I think a lot of us do. Fear is all-consuming and there’s a lot of things we can fear in life so I was looking forward to reading this one because I knew Max Lucado was well known and I liked one of his previous books that I read.

However, this book was kind of difficult for me to get into. When I finally finished the story I was just proud to be done. There were parts that I thought it dragged on, but I really think it’s great if you want a biblical outlook on fear. Max talks about fear in all areas of life…finances/money, death, etc. and how and why we should be fearless. It was challenging for me as a Christian. I am constantly trying to grow in my faith as a Christian, so I was able to take away some of his recommendations and thoughts. If you read this you might want to take notes (because I really don’t remember everything I read in this book).

Now that the weather has been nicer, I’ve been able to lay by the pool and catch some rays while I read my books. So relaxing!

My third book this month was Hoda: How I survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee by Hoda Kotb. Look, y’all know how much I adore this lady. Her and KLG are my people. You saw that being on their show is on my bucket list. I saw her book at half priced books, bought it, and was done with it by the time the weekend was over. I LOVE her personality, I love her stories – everything that she has been through and done is so fascinating, and I love that she is a normal person like us and had to work at where she is now. It also goes into the background of how her and KLG got together and I was surprised to find out that Hoda was there before KLG. I just love me some Hoda Kotb. I’ve always said that from when I first started watching their show in 2014.

Hoda, PLEASE CALL ME SO WE CAN HAVE WINE TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT LIFE. 🙂

Accountability Partners?

Happy 1st Monday of May!

So this past weekend I was doing my workout and I was thinking how nice it would be to have someone either there doing it with me (since I didn’t go to the gym that day) or to have someone that I can text back and forth to keep me accountable. Not only for workouts, but for diet and other aspects of health.

2 is better than 1.

And a bunch is better than 1.

The wheels got to turning and I started thinking about all of you guys and how mostly all of us do workout goals, fitness goals, health goals, monthly goals, etc. We’re blogging about them and after seeing some updates (including my own) say “yeah I didn’t do that” I thought: what if we were all each other’s accountability partners? And what better way than starting on the first of the month?

So what would that look like?

Why don’t we all comment on this post with some goals to put in motion for things we each want to accomplish?  If enough people are on board for this we can do the accountability part. Make sure you’ve liked my blog on Facebook because I will post a couple things at the beginning of each week for us to accomplish together.

2 is better than 1 remember?

It can be something as simple as commenting on someone else’s post saying “You’re doing great today” or “Just got my workout in! How about you?” or maybe a quote that has inspired you. We can take it week by week.

Having like-minded people supporting, loving, and motivating one another will make it so much easier to accomplish things because we have others keeping us accountable.

You know, and it doesn’t have to even be in regards to health and fitness. It can be “I want to blog every single day this week” or “I want to send someone a card and some candy today” or “I want to read Jesus Calling every single morning this week”. When you see cool things that other people are doing and accomplishing, you’re definitely more motivated to do it yourself.

It’s just a way for us to do something that I believe can start to transform and shape each of us into happier and healthier versions of ourselves – mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, everything.

What do you think? Do you want accountability partners? Would you participate? What are some things you want to accomplish? Do share!

Let’s empower one another!

And don’t forget that Wednesday is another Bookworm Wednesday…blog about your reads for the past month and link-up with us!

Friday Favorites

You know, now that I work on Fridays and Saturdays I just don’t get that excited to see Fridays as much anymore 😉

But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying my weekend!! And we’re still linking up with Erika, Narci, and Andrea.

So I love these little snacks. I got them at Aldi…remember when we talked about my love for Aldi? They’re little single serving packs and they’re my FAVORITE right now…especially the strawberry. I personally think they are super sweet too, but one bag is only 5g of sugar and it’s made out of literally just strawberries. So not only are they good, they’re healthy!

If you follow me on Instagram you saw the bottom picture the other day. I’m obsessed with these leggings and they’ve quickly become my FAVORITE.

They’re my first pair of long pant leggings that have color…all my others are black. I couldn’t find the link to them, but Target is having a 25% off sale on their C9 activewear with the code: C9SAVE. You need to check it out!!

Since we’re mentioning working out and activewear…you should check out my post as we peeked inside my gym bag on Tuesday and talked about tricks to keeping our bags organized. Y’all are like me and lose hair ties all the time. #thestruggle

Y’all. I have one final left next Saturday morning (yes that’s freaking weird) and then I am done with this semester!!! I take 2 classes this summer and I will have officially graduated. Ohhh, are we gonna party hard come August! And by we I mean all of us. You and me. Because YOU (MY FAV PEOPLE) ARE ALL INVITED TO MY HOUSE to celebrate the happiest of days! 😉

Be my friend.

There will be food.

Isn’t that a good bribe?

A couple months ago our pastor challenged us to go social media-less one day that following week. Well I am huge on challenges, so I partook and I LOVED IT. Loved it so much that I did it a couple weeks after and then I randomly did it a couple weeks ago.

I’ve now challenged myself to a “Social Media-less Monday” where every Monday i’m off all forms of social media…Instagram, Twitter (which I don’t have so that’s easy), Facebook, Snapchat, everything.

It’s honestly so refreshing and my FAVORITE way to start my week off. I have more time for LIFE and conversations and Jesus and being present and reading and listening to the news and seriously, everything.

You should try it because it is a serious challenge, but so so worth it!

So last summer I did a “Woman Tell All” where you guys got to ask me anything you wanted and I answered. Last week I asked what you all would like to see on the blog (and I texted some friends who don’t normally comment) to see their opinions. I have some good ones and a whole week in May devoted to Woman Tell All answers.

So again, leave ANY suggestions/questions/preferences on upcoming blogs and topics. This May is devoted to you, my sweet sweet readers.

So comment and share you thoughts/opinions for our Woman Tell All and really just anything else you have in mind.

Love you all.

Have a fun weekend.

See you next month.

Get it? ‘Cause that’ll be May and today is April.

Okay bye now.

What’s Up Wednesday: April

What’s up?!

I’m here and i’m linking up with Mel, Shay, and Sheaffer. Every last Wednesday of the month, we all blog about what’s been going on. If you missed 2015’s posts, check them out!

What I’m eating:

Lately it’s been a lot of the usual…

my favorite lactose free products

my favorite gluten free products

some almond butter banana waffles in the morning

And then…lots of spaghetti squash, turkey burgers, fish, larabars

and of course my almond butter oatmeal cookies for dessert.

#almondbutterallday

What I’m reminiscing about:

My sorority days and my time at Oklahoma. As graduation is nearing, it’s bringing back all the memories of being in college there. I’ve seen so many girls doing senior pictures with their friend groups and Pi Phi had a little senior night. Wow. So long ago!

What I’m loving:

THIS VIDEO. For some reason, it just puts a smile on my face!

If you haven’t seen the Michigan football team do the running man, you need to YouTube it right now. Makes me laugh every time. My brother taught his baseball team to do this and then they recorded it. Love it.

What I’ve been up to:

Trying to take my yoga practice outside on some mornings. There’s just something about a quiet morning and doing some yoga in front of the pool.

Ps you should just go ahead and take a peak inside my yoga/gym bag.

What I’m dreading:

Studying for my very last final and applying for jobs. Sigh. Adulting.

What I’ve been working on:

Setting everything up for my CPR class so I can get that certificate and officially sign up for my health coach certification exam!

What I’m excited about:

Trying Shakeology. After all the ranting and raving from many friends, I am planning to try it. I so cannot wait. Do you drink Shakeology?!

What I’ve been reading/watching:

I’ll talk about what i’m reading next Wednesday, May 4th for Bookworm Wednesday!! Link up with Katie and I for that.

What I’m listening to:

Lots of random music. But right now I really like this guy, I think he’s new but he’s got some good music!

And the Voice is on in the background as I’m typing this too.

 What I’ve been wearing:

Nothing to even blog about 😉 #collegestudentprobs

What I’m doing this weekend:

Work, work, work, work, work.

What I’m looking forward to next month:

Watching my bestie graduate, celebrating my momma on momma’s day, finishing the semester (and starting my final semester), a possible vacation, ALL THE FUN THINGS. Hurry soon summer! XOXOXO

What else is new:

I’m still trying to get my blog out on social media.

Follow me, follow me, follow me!!! 🙂

Instagram: @mollymiddleton01 here
Facebook: click here to like my blog
Pinterest: @mollymiddleton1 here
Bloglovin’: click here
Snapchat: I’m “mollymiddleton”

What is your favorite Mother’s Day gift to give:

Anything that I can make. My mom is alllllllll about the handmade and heart felt stuff. I guess that saves me money too 😉

Love that mom of mine!

Inside My Gym Bag

My gym bag…otherwise known as my purse. But seriously, it is. I carry my gym bag more than I carry my purse!

I’m an organization junkie and I feel like I have mastered some “tricks” to keeping my bag organized and effective. So I thought we could talk about that today.

Now, I usually go dressed and ready to the gym, but this is what I take with me every time.

All the necessities, right in my Lululemon bag, this is a similar one. I got mine for Christmas a couple of years ago and it still holds up nicely. It’s super sturdy which is needed because sometimes my bag gets heavy after my wallet, water bottle, and yoga mat are all thrown in there.

I love a clear bag! Right here is a cute 3-pack of clear toiletry bags for a great price. These might have to be my next investment!

It’s so much easier being able to see what’s inside to make sure I have everything. In this bag I keep my body wash and washcloth, chapstick, lotion, all toiletries (including make-up removing wipes), along with extra hair ties and headbands. I always, always keep multiples of those because that’s the worst if you get to the gym and realize you don’t have them!

This little bag came with my Lululemon bag and it’s where I keep a change of clothes. I keep separate bags because I always hated when I would throw everything inside my main bag and then it was a maze trying to find what I was looking for. This process is so much easier!

It holds my gym clothes (for when I used to workout after work), or it will hold my school clothes (if I workout before I go to classes for the day).

I always keep an extra pair of socks, underwear, and a sports bra in here as well. Those are also things you don’t want to forget about!

The side zipper pocket holds my yoga mat cleaner, body wipes for if I just need to wipe sweat off my face real quick, and the female necessities. You never know when you need these and I keep them in the zipper pocket so they don’t fall out/are seen. Nobody cares to see that stuff!

The other side of the bag is more pockets without the zipper. I keep my workout watch, headphones, my keys, and my phone on this side. This makes it easier to reach those things without having to dig to the bottom of my bag. I learned that the hard way when it took me 5 minutes to find my keys one time after just throwing them in my bag.

At the very bottom of my bag I keep all of my “workout specific items”…you know, socks for Barre class or wraps for boxing class. I don’t always need them, but when you do, you do. You know what i’m saying?

A few more things to note:

1. I keep a beach towel in my bag…but always a lightweight one. I don’t know about you, but we have lightweight and heavy beach towels. I always use the lightweight ones because they are easier to stuff and they aren’t as bulky and heavy. I will usually use this as my towel if I shower at the gym , or to towel off from the sauna, or a towel to wipe off sweat during my workouts.

2. If I am going to yoga, that towel is usually replaced with my yoga mat, unless I am just carrying it by hand.

3. I always keep a cheap ol’ pair of flip flops at the bottom of my bag for if I am showering, or using the sauna after a workout, or if I want to let my feet breathe after a sweaty workout.

4. I “re-stock” my small extra clothes bag first thing when I get home if they were used so I don’t forget. You don’t want to end up having to sit in some sweaty clothes because you forgot your extra pair.

5. Keep travel sized toiletries in your bag. They are easier to handle and cheaper to purchase too.

Now let’s go hit the gym with our organized bags! And then we can jump in the pool afterwards? 😉

Tell us about your gym bag! Am I missing anything?!

Let’s Talk…Hair and Makeup

Well hello Monday morning, you sure came fast! 😉

I’m excited because the next time we “talk” it’s all about summer…BRING IT ON! I am so ready for the days full of nothing but beautiful vitamin D and hanging out with my girlfriends.

But in the meantime, today we’re linking up with Andrea and Erika to talk all things beauty related. I’m such a fan of reading about and learning tips and tricks that work for other people.

Let’s talk hair and make-up!

First up…hair.

Now I’ll be the first to tell you beauty is not super high on my radar. It does not get me all kinds of excited. For some people, this is what they love. Me? I like to spend AS LITTLE time as possible on hair, make-up, etc. It’s just me.

I get my hair done twice a year….yup. I’m telling you, I am ridiculously low maintenance when it comes to beauty. Usually when I can start to notice that it’s looking dry and dull then I figure it’s time to do something about it. That time is about now by the way 😉

About a year ago at the end of May 2015 we talked about our favorite hair products.

Most of it has stayed the same, but some has changed. I really like how Shay does the number system with these posts because it’s so much easier to follow, so I’m using her idea 🙂

#1: Prescription Shampoo. There’s really nothing to talk about here, so we’ll just move on. I still have to use prescription shampoo because…i’m balding 😉

#2: Pureology Conditioner. This conditioner smells so darn good! Truth: I showered before Church one Wednesday night and 2 separate girls came up to me at different times and said “Omg, what do you put on your hair it smells great!”

#3: TreSemme Dry Shampoo. I mean…we all have some, right? I’ve tried the whole baby powder ordeal, but I don’t think it helped and then I smelled like a baby’s butt the rest of the day. I love this product.

#4: Tigi Catwalk Hairspray. This is my favorite hairspray. I have had it for I don’t know how many years now (although I don’t use it every day) but it lasts me such a long time.

#5. Deva Styling Cream. I used up all of my hair protectant, so I had my mom scope out a new one for me and the sales associate sold her this one. So far, it works. It’s more of a gel/cream instead of a spray so I am having to get use to that. But it smells good…do you see a running theme now?

#6: Rogaine. Yeah remember when I mentioned balding? I need to start using this stuff again. But if you get rogaine, get it for men! The women/men thing is just an advertising scam!

#7: Moroccan Oil. Honestly, I have no clue what this product really does. I put it on my hair for the smell and also because I feel like it’s suppose to liven it up and shine my hair.

#8: Styling Tools.

My straightener has been with me since my high school days. I will use this thing until it dies on me. I love the GVP brand. I’m not a fan of Chi or any of the other ones…plus this one is cheaper! I’ve also found that this one doesn’t catch my hair on the sides. I’ve used straighteners before that have done that and pulled my hair.

I also use a wand that we got a kiosk in the mall when I want to put some curls in. It’s so easy to use, quick, and does the job. I’m also planning to keep this bad boy until it dies on me too.

#9: Brushes. I have my normal ol’ brush and my wet brush. You need the wet brush especially this coming summer. I always use it when I get out of the shower because it’s so much more gentle on my hair! If you have a sensitive head, it’s a must.

Now…make-up!

I wish I could be all fancy, creative, and artistic with make-up like some people. But I just choose not to spend the time after 15 minutes i’m done (if it takes that long). I’ll be honest and say that many times I don’t even wear make-up unless I have to. And if I do it’s super simple like this…

I always do mascara and eyeliner, but rarely any eye shadow. It takes too long 😉 I just use whatever mascara my mom has in her drawer that hasn’t been opened because that stuff gets EXPENSIVE and #poorcollegestudent.

Tip: I have dark features, so I get black mascara and not the “very black” otherwise I look scary with spider eyes.

I LOVE MY URBAN DECAY PENCIL. And so did my sister when she stole mine and had to buy me another.

Tip: Purple eyeliner makes green eyes pop friends! Read this article 🙂

I use the black liner when I want to do it on the bottom lid…and my purple liner when I’m putting it on my top eyelid.  (most of the time)

My face takes little time as well.

FIRST, I apply two different types of primer on my face (#1 and #2). The green is for redness which I had a lot of from acne.

Tip: I was told that this is better for your skin (especially if it’s dry) to make it not look so caked on. Also then your foundation doesn’t set into your skin.

THEN, while it dries I start to do mascara. Once I do a coat of mascara, i’ll use brush #3 to apply foundation #4 (in the summer months) or tinted moisturizer #5 (in the winter months). Yes I realize that’s a little backwards but that’s how my colors worked out.

Tip: I keep a summer foundation and a winter foundation because I’m always darker in the summer as most of us are.

FINALLY after I finish that process, I complete my eye make-up to let my face dry. Then I will use brush #6 to put bronzer #7 on my cheeks for some color. HOMEGIRL IS PALE. And then on top of that I put blush #8. Done and done.

Voila! Fool proof I tell ya!

Since this was a lot of information for one post, i’ll talk about other beauty products another time.

And just in case you want other “Let’s Talk” topics, I posted about:

Moms
Guys (I took a blog break)
New Years

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, y’all!

I’m glad to see this weekend. I had a paper, two presentations, and hours of sitting in class that took up most of my time this week. But luckily I asked off work this weekend for something and I’m not doing it anymore so I have a FREE WEEKEND! Whatttttt??!!! Let’s get this party started!

If you missed my post yesterday, you should check it out because I updated you on my life plans coming up in these next couple months 😉

And feel free to check out my health/fitness goals while you’re at since they kind of go hand in hand.

Lately I have been hitting up Starbucks a lot more. And I am remembering why it was my FAVORITE. There’s nothing like a quick post-workout pre-class coffee selfie.

I go through a lot of phases. My recent phase also happens to be a FAVORITE of mine… cooking. And not just for me, but for other people. I’ve been making a lot of meals for myself and my family too.

Spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs.

Spaghetti squash breakfast casserole (TO DIE FOR). My dad ate 3/4 of this thing in one sitting.

Hawaiian chicken over mashed cauliflower with a kale salad.

This amazing salmon that my mom deemed the best salmon she’s had in her life. That’s huge!

And a shepherd’s pie (mashed cauliflower on top my side and puff pastry on the family’s side). Served with parmesan roasted carrots…and of course your girl had to throw in her greens!

I mentioned this tea a couple weeks ago, but it’s my FAVORITE hot tea right now. I love sitting down at the end of the day writing down the next day’s goals and sipping this hot tea. The little things, friends.

My FAVORITE part of the semester is here…the end. I have a final next Tuesday and then another final in a couple Saturday’s and I am allllllmost done with college. #untilAugust #icandoit

And lastly, this past Saturday I drove down to Dallas to visit my big (from my sorority at OU) who moved to Dallas last May. My FAVORITE thing was catching up with old friends. So much fun!

Also let’s all laugh at baby Molly 2012.

I hope you have a great weekend!

A little update…

Whew! Well hey, happy Thursday!

Things are busy over here if you can’t tell by my lack of blogging last Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and yesterday. I’ve had presentations on papers on finals and all of that FUN COLLEGE STUFF. But the good news is that I am done with 3 of my 5 classes this semester!! Boo to the yah!

One of the very best parts about blogging is not only the fact that I get to write about my life, experiences, and other random things that interest me…but also that I get to meet people I normally wouldn’t if it weren’t for blog world.

YOU GUYS.

Cheers to y’all!

So as some of you already know I’ve decided to change directions with my career (also what I have been wrapped up with). I decided that I want to go into the health and fitness industry…in particular, I am in the process of becoming a health and wellness coach. Earlier this week I got my pre-approval to sit for my health coach certification. So once I do that…i’ll be a certified health coach and officially starting my own business.

While I willl create my own website for that business, my personal blog might change a tiny bit. It’ll still be a lot of my personal life, but I am going to start gearing my posts more towards health and fitness. Sooooooooo….with that said:

What do y’all want me to post about? Is there anything in particular?

I mean whatever it is…chia seeds, recipes, workout regimens, my routines, a certain kind of spice to cook with? You name it. Anything health, fitness, and wellness related!

Also, because of the fact that I will be starting my own business and marketing myself I’m trying to grow my network. Please follow me on all social media so I can follow you back!

Instagram: @mollymiddleton01
Facebook: Colors of Life
Pinterest: mollymiddleton1
Follow my blog via e-mail (on the sidebar).
Follow me on Bloglovin’.

And for the person who shares the most of my posts on social media (Pinterest, Bloglovin’, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) and can get their friends to like and follow my pages will be sent something very nice in the mail next week!!!!!

Show and Tell: A Day In The Life

Oh boy I’m super pumped about today. I love, love, love day in the life posts. I don’t know what it is but there’s just something about taking a stroll through someone else’s day that’s super exciting to me.

My original plan was to capture a Sunday since I had never done one of those before, but I forgot my pictures and had to do it yesterday instead. I will just warn you ahead of time that my day is super boring. My weeks are pretty dull now that i’m not working and we’re getting to the end of the semester.

Such is life. Shall we take a look at it??

At 8:59 my alarm went off. Remember I set my alarm on random numbers? and by 9:03 I was opening up my phone. Yes…my alarm goes off for a solid 4 minutes before turning it off.

I got to blog reading for a couple minutes.

And then I got up, went to the bathroom, changed, brushed my teeth, and grabbed a water and my yoga mat to head to the gym.

It’s 9:30 and I am about to BodyShred. And then practice some yoga right afterwards.

When I came home I made a strawberry banana spinach smoothie…

…along with the most random (and not very pretty) breakfast of half a rice cake with almond butter and my homemade triple berry jam, half a rice cake with avocado egg whites and salsa, and then cottage cheese. Am I the only one that craves EVERYTHING in the morning and then can’t decide, so I eat the most random things together???

While I finished sipping on my smoothie, I got to blog reading and getting work done on my computer.

And then I was hungry. Mind you, like an hour after breakfast…of course. So I dove into this bag and ate allllllllll the goodness. Y’all. These are TO DIE FOR. They’re so addicting so beware!

We’re in the process of a remodel and right now mom is spending her days looking at tile and flooring and carpet and appliances and all the things that don’t excite me one bit. I figured I would go and keep her company, ya know, since I wasn’t doing anything else. #nolife

We got home around 4:00 and I took myself outside to our patio and worked on my computer a little bit more before I had to go up to school.

Around 4:30ish I grabbed a black bean quinoa veggie burger with some roasted green beans asparagus and tomatoes for lunch or dinner. Whatever you prefer to call it.

And then at 5:45 I had to leave and meet with my group to work on our presentation that’s today (wish us luck…it’s our capstone course consultation project)!

We were there for a couple of hours and then since I commute, I have another close to an hour on the road home.

I got home, showered, grabbed some popcorn and hot tea and got to work on our presentation. I also ate some leftover Hawaiian chicken I made last week and my apple cobbler too.

And this was a particularly late night, but finally I called it quits close to midnight and went to bed.

As you’re ready this, i’m probably up preparing for my presentation later this morning and then another presentation this afternoon. Oh yeah, and finishing up a paper I have due tonight. #collegelife #jealous?

And that’s my day. My boring ol’ Monday. Hopefully yours was a little more exciting!

In case you missed any of my S&T Tuesdays for 2016:

Introduction
Momfessional Moments (I didn’t participate)
How To Win My Heart
Favorite Pinterest Pins (This was during my blog break)
My Hometown
My life’s mix tape (This was during spring break when I had guest bloggers)
My Own Talk Show

And here are all my 2015 Show and Tell posts.

And here are all my Day In The Life posts.

Happy Tuesday!

Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies

My name is Molly and I am an almond butter addict.

Seriously.

I had to give myself a rule yesterday that I wasn’t allowed to have it because I’ve had it in some form every day for the past week…at least. You’ll find that out when you look through some of my recipes 😉

These are my almond butter oatmeal cookies and they will rock your socks.

What you’ll need:

1/2 cup gluten free oats
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup date paste
1 egg white (3 Tbsp)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp gluten free, sugar free vanilla (omit if on whole 30 or paleo diet)

So how do you do it?

It’s super simple.

1. Mix your baking soda and oats in a bowl.
2. Whisk all your other ingredients in a separate bowl until smooth.
3. Using a cookie scoop, place them on a baking sheet.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 9 minutes or until the bottom starts to brown.

Done. That’s it. It made about 13 cookies for me.

Now, since these are made with oatmeal, almond butter (especially), and date paste, they are kind of dry. I keep them in a plastic bag and the moisture in the bag will make them less dry. Just keep that in mind. But when you can’t have gluten, lactose, and you’re trying to eat less sugar…these are delicious!

My family liked them other than the fact that they were a little dry.

You could add chocolate chips too. Or cinnamon. Or banana. Or whatever your heart desires. Yum! Enjoy!

Date Paste

This is not a difficult recipe in the least, however, now that it goes in about all of my recipes I decided I need to blog about it. So today I am giving my beloved date paste a post of it’s own.

I’m here to tell you that there’s no way you can screw this up!!! Whoopie!!

There’s really no measurements here. It’s however much you want because however many dates you use, the more paste you’re going to get.

Put however much of your pitted dates into a measuring cup. In this case, it was 3/4 of a cup.

I leave it in the same measuring cup #lessdishes and cover it with hot water from the faucet.

Let them soak for at least 10 minutes, the longer the better. The softer they are the easier/faster to get your paste. Then, you’ll put them in your food processor.

You’ll process until there are no more large chunks of dates and it comes out looking like a paste. Just like this picture (minus the big date on top ;)). I store mine in mason jars in the refrigerator and it works beautifully in all my recipes.

Guess what? That’s it!! How easy, right?

Reasons I love date paste:

• It adds the sweetness when you need it in a recipe, but it’s not overpowering.
• It’s all natural sugar. It’s like replacing bananas in your recipes. A total health conscious option.
• It keeps long in the refrigerator.
• This is sugar detox approved!!!!! And paleo, vegan, and whole 30.
• This should be your sweetener of choice.
• You should listen to me. 😉

However, it’s not as sweet as sugar. When I use it in recipes, my mom is still not a fan of whatever it is because it’s not sweet enough. But for me and my tastebuds…it’s perfect! I’m not eating straight flour in my pancakes when I can add date paste to sweeten because yes, pancakes, breads, etc. all have sugar. I might have eaten it by the spoonful before. Maybe. When you’re just starting out using this date paste be sure to keep that in mind!

Do you use date paste? What do you think about it?

Health Goals: Month 6

I decided this month that I wanted to change my fitness goals to be my health goals. These goals don’t always have to do with fitness, working out, exercising, etc. Sometimes they’re geared towards my mental and emotional health too. And because I want to continue working at making myself the healthiest version of me, it was just fitting that I changed them.

So these pictures were taken (about) a year apart.

Pink sports bra was March 29, 2015 and blue sports bra was March 12, 2016.

Am I exactly where I want to be? Nope.
Are these the most amazing “transformation pictures” I have ever seen? Nope.
Was I hoping to have more muscle tone? Yep.
But have I improved? Yep.

The thing is…I haven’t been as strict on myself as I should be. I’ve binged, I’ve eaten containers of ice-cream, I’ve skipped workouts, etc. But instead of being upset about that, I’m accepting that those are choices I have made and I need to thank my body for what it has done for me in the past year.

While I decided on March 6, 2015 that I wanted to start incorporating fitness and exercise back into my life, I wasn’t serious about it. I didn’t consistently workout and I didn’t start watching my food intake. So it’s taken me extra long to see improvement. And because of that, I have gotten frustrated. But look, this is why it’s a health “journey”!

I started getting serious about it in November when I began my search for a gym.

I’ve lost inches. And some weight actually. And started feeling better. That’s what it’s all been about for me…feeling better, feeling confident, and being happy again. (Although my second pics don’t look like that. Don’t judge it was early in the AM ;))

I’m really working at these fitness goals so that I can hopefully see more progress within the next couple months. I’d love to get stronger and tone up some more. There’s only going up from here, right??

A look back at month 5 Fitness Goals:

For 3.9.16-4.9.16 I planned to…

• Finish up the sugar detox. Read about it here.
• Research IBS. I’ve got along of good pins recently. Follow me on Pinterest to see. I’m still debating whether or not i’m going to alter my diet for it, so we will see.
• Test out essential oils. I have been Pinteresting all kinds of information about essentials oils. I bought some yesterday, and I will be reviewing them soon!!
• ENJOY Spring Break. 🙂 Read about it all right here.

 

Month 6 Fitness Goals:

4.10.16-5.10.16

• 2 rest days a week. It’s funny because I used to have to make goals TO workout and now i’m making a goal NOT TO workout. Y’all, I have this thing where I start feeling really really guilty if I don’t work out. But my body is getting so tired. I can feel it. I spoke with a personal trainer and she said I really need to take 2 rest days a week.
• Be in bed by 11:00PM. I still think this is probably a late time, but being the night owl I am, I am going to start here. I have been exhausted, fatigued, tired, etc. etc. etc. lately. And with getting up at the time I do and doing everything during the day, I need to get more sleep. So this month, i’m really working at accomplishing this.
• Write down a time that I’ve been proud of myself for something health related. I need to start appreciating myself more.
• Set aside 10 minutes each morning for “quiet time”. No electronics, no nothing. I’m going to start small with 10 minutes and try to work up…I have got to be better about this.

WOOOHOOOO! Let’s do this month 6!

Okay. So tell me what you know. Anything health and fitness related? Anything non-related? How was your weekend? It feels like it’s been a while!! Let’s talk!

Oh, and for posts on month’s passed…

Month 1 Fitness Goals
Month 2 Fitness Goals
Month 3 Fitness Goals
Month 4 Fitness Goals
Month 5 Fitness Goals

Friday Favorites

Can you believe it’s the first Friday of APRIL? Again, 1/4 of 2016 is already gone. Woah, Nelly.

In typical Friday fashion, i’m sharing my FAVORITES with you for this week. Join me and link-up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci.

Happy Friday to you!

The most exciting part of this past week was that Morgan and I threw together a little surprise for my parents. She had no intentions of coming home at all this semester, but when she told me her plans of leaving Gulf Shores halfway through their Spring Break I told her how fun it would be to have her surprise mom and dad. She agreed and we planned.

Our plan was that I would tell my parents I wanted to take them to lunch and when we’d walk in Morgan would be sitting there waiting for us. It worked for the most part, except Morg was awkward and didn’t know what to do so she went bouncing up to them and I couldn’t video it! ^ That was the best I got.

Pissed. Ha, just kidding, she’s in an intense conversation…aka probably being lectured by dad about something 😉

We got the cards going that night and enjoyed the rest of our weekend as a family of 6 again. So much fun.

My family has an obsession with Buffalo Wild Wings. Everyone but me that is. My siblings went for lunch that afternoon, but I tagged along for the company. You see, when Morgan isn’t here my brothers don’t want anything to do with me.

And then Sunday night she had to leave again. All good things come to an end, but as mom says, that just means she’s one day closer to coming home again.

While you northerners have been bundled up in your hats, coats, scarves, and snow flurries, we southerners have been laying out in our backyards catching some vitamin D. I’m usually not that excited for summer, but for some reason this year i’m seriously looking forward to it! This sun has been my FAVORITE lately and it’s putting me in the best spirits. I’ve been taking my reading out there while (hopefully) getting darker. We all know homegirl needs some of that.

On Tuesdays, I have a 3.5 hour break in between my classes. I dread it, but I’ve learned to take advantage of it. Usually I stay on campus, but this past week I drove to our nearest Starbucks and was pleasantly surprised to see this little outdoor area in the sun with comfortable cushioned chairs.

 

I pulled out my lunch, I got my coffee, and I ended up being so productive. It was one of those “ahhhh, I am seriously enjoying life right now” moments. You know those. This was definitely my FAVORITE 3.5 hours from this week.

For a while now I have been trying to get myself into hot tea. I just see all the advantages (on Pinterest of course) and I see how many people love it. I’ve been trying to detox lately and I picked up this Yogi Detox tea (which i’m totally loving) and sip on it right before bed while I finish up my blog or whatever it is that i’m doing. It seems like Yogi is everybody’s FAVORITE right now so I had to test it out. So far…2 thumbs up.

Okay. Hi, my name is Molly and i’m addicted to chocolate. And dessert. And having a chocolate dessert every night after dinner. Like it’s just a thing now. I was at the grocery store on Monday and snooped up and down each aisle as I always do. I’m notorious for spending way too much time at the grocery store.

WELL.

This week I came upon this little snack. And friends. My life is changed for the better. I have a chunk or two every night. It goes along with my food allergies to dairy and gluten, it’s healthy yet it’s dessert, and it’s in line with my sugar detox. Like, there’s no sugar (because it’s sweetened with date paste). A packaged product with no sugar? I about died. If you see it, just try my FAVORITE grocery store find.

A couple days ago I found this bag and within seconds of spotting it, I knew it was a keeper. It’s my FAVORITE. It’s big, it’s roomy, it’s perfect for these upcoming summer months. I’m totally loving all this light colors this year. Lots of white and stripes. Two of my FAVORITE things.

This week on the blog…

Monday I shared an update on my 2016 Bucket List. Some of my FAVORITE goals have been checked off already.

On Tuesday I shared what my talk show would look like if I had my own. You can bet two of my FAVORITE ladies were on there.

It was the first Wednesday of the month, so of course, I hosted my FAVORITE linkup…Bookworm Wednesday. It’s good stuff.

And yesterday I shared my FAVORITE go-to breakfast recipe at the moment. Healthy almond butter banana waffles for the win!

Have the best weekend!

Almond Butter Banana Waffles

Ah, good morning!

I’m sharing a super simple, super nutritious, and super delicious waffle recipe with you today. Believe me, you’ll be begging for more before you’re even done.

These waffles have LESS carbs, MORE protein, and the same amount of fat as a serving of eggo waffles!! WITHOUT the sugar either (they have 6g)!

Ingredients (makes 1 waffle):

1 ripe banana
1 egg white (3 tbsp)
1/2 tbsp almond butter + more for serving
1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tbsp cinnamon (I personally like a lot)
1 tsp vanilla extract (if not on Paleo, Whole30, Sugar Free diet)

Method:

Mash your banana with a whisk. Mix in the egg white, chia seeds, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Once mixed, add in your almond butter.

Grease your waffle iron and spread the mixture. Cook as you normally would. I personally like mine on a darker setting. It takes a little longer for these ingredients to form together as there isn’t any flour.

Serve with melted almond butter and sliced bananas. Serve with syrup. Serve with jam. Regardless of how you serve it, you’ll love it.

The best part is…if you want, you can double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to make ahead and then store in your freezer. Wake up, toast a waffle, spread some almond butter on top, and breakfast is on the table in seconds!

Nutrition (per 1 serving):

223 calories
6g fat
27g net carbs
9g protein

I love that while you’re still getting carbs from the banana and chia seeds, they are low glycemic. Which is why we like those ingredients! Plus check out all the health benefits of chia seeds that I linked to above.

I’ve never known a single waffle to have 9g of protein…i’m all about it.

These waffles are high in fiber with 8g. Me oh my.

You’ll think you’re cheating with this recipe, but you’re really not. Make the waffles and let me know how they turn out!

Bookworm Wednesday: April

It’s Bookworm Wednesday! The first Wednesday of every month we all blog about our reads, include this graphic below, and link back to Katie and I!

Then you can go through the links to get ideas from others on what to read next 🙂

2016 Bookworm Wednesday dates:

May 4th
June 1st
July 6th
August 3rd
September 7th
October 5th
November 2nd
December 7th

This month I read two books. Well, really just one book because the other one has been a couple months in the making but March is when I finished it.

Ahhh book #1, Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure was finished within days. I read while I took a bubble bath…am I the only one? Say you do too.

And when I was hanging out with my grandpa…

And in the airport. If I can get excited about a book, there’s no stopping me!

Speaking of excited, I was so excited to read this book that I may have driven to the next town over the night before I left for vacation because they were the only store that had it in stock. I mean, we all know by now that I love me some Candace Cameron Bure. After all, I would invite her on my talk show. I have already read Balancing It All

along with Dancing Through Life.

To see what I thought about those, click here.

As for Reshaping It All…I think I had higher expectations for it that it really didn’t measure up to. I was really excited about this one because I remembered reading in one of her other books that she really dove into her struggle with an eating disorder, so I thought that’s what it was really going to be about. Candace definitely touched on the subject but it wasn’t as in depth as I was hoping for. When I think back on this book I remember her talking the most about her parents, how she was raised, and how that affected her physical life (and really all parts of her life). She too struggled with insecurity, body image, etc. like a lot of us so it was nice to see how she put that into perspective with her faith.

There were also parts at the end of the chapters where she wrote famous quotes and Bible verses and to be honest, I just skipped over them. I really wanted to read the content. I loved that she included recipes at the end of every chapter though!

Overall, if you’re a Candace fan I would definitely recommend you read it because you still learn about her and her life, but if you’re not a Candace fan you probably won’t find it very interesting.

 The other book that I read was for my online Bible study: So Long, Insecurity which was over the series of two months.

My Thoughts:

There was soooooooo much content. It was good information, but when you’re doing the study for 10 weeks and you have to read 2 chapters a week it gets to be a little much. This personally moved too fast for me and my liking. Since I can’t cut down the size of the book, I would spread the study out more. I thought there were a couple times it felt like Beth was rambling.

On the other hand, I loved what Beth had to say. I found myself thinking “oh my gosh she’s right” a lot of the time. Beth had a lot of interesting points and I love that she pulled stories of other women into the book as well. There are so many of us that struggle with this ugly beast and it’s so heartbreaking. There were also a lot of verses mentioned that I wrote down and will refer to again. I am planning to put them in the back of my Bible.

OBS Participant Thoughts:

I sent out a survey to everyone who participated in the study to see what they thought. My opinion is one thing, but I also wanted to get the opinions of everyone else who participated.

100% of the survey participants thought it was a good study overall and would recommend it to a friend.

Here’s a few things that our OBS participants liked:

• The message was something I really need in my life.
• I liked the book that was chosen a lot. It was very relatable with good examples.
• I found myself agreeing with what the author said very often and I could apply different scenarios to my own life.

Here’s a few things our OBS participants didn’t like as much:

• I like studies that have questions that you can fill in throughout the reading.
• I felt there was a lack of communication. I wish we could’ve all discussed it together some way.

If you’re wanting to follow along with this study, just purchase the book and go through all of my OBS posts! You still can!

Next month, the goal is to read 3 books, but with it also being the end of the semester I don’t know how much time I will have to read. I’m almost done with book #1 so that’s a good sign. 😉

And if you’re looking for more book posts:

Book(TV)worm Wednesday – March
Bookworm Wednesday – February
Bookworm Wednesday – January
Bookworm Wednesday – December
Bookworm Wednesday – November
Bookworm Wednesday – October
Bookworm Wednesday – September
Books in July
Books (and some Netflix) in June
Books in May
Books in March

Happy reading this fine Wednesday!

Show and Tell: Your Own Talk Show

Today’s show and tell is all about…my own talk show? Oh boy, that’s a lot of pressure.

When I think about my favorite talk show, I think of these people…

KLG and Hoda are my FAVORITE. I love to start my morning with them. I love the things they talk about. I love that they always have wine in front of them. I love that they are hilarious. I love the stories and features that they do. I love them. So if I had my own talk show it would be just like theirs! Besides that, being on their show is on my bucket list. So I could double cross that off if I had my own show like theirs.

Or maybe I could just take one of their places? 😉

I also love

Ellen’s talk show because she’s so positive! She’s got good stories and she just seems happy all the time.

So yeah, my show would be just like KLG and Hoda with a twist of Ellen….but replace the wine glass with a cup of coffee and we’re set. Now accepting applications for my co-host.

Along with the people i’d invite to my dinner party, I would choose people who have been influential in my life this far.

So like KLG and Hoda this morning, I too would interview Shay…

…because I loved her when I met her a year ago! I’m so looking forward to seeing her this morning. Shay is the reason that I started blogging in the first place. I have loved every second of it and I definitely have her to thank for that.

I would also have to interview Candace Cameron Bure. This woman does it all and I look up to her a lot. She’s a great example of a Christian woman, she writes books, she acts, she works out (she’s got a hot bod) and she’s a great mom, I mean…GOALS. Plus look how stylish she is!

I would want to interview Ben…just to be in his presence 😉 But also because I feel like he’s a genuine guy that does a lot for others. I’d just want to get to know him better.

Danielle Walker would have to come on my show because this cookbook is the one that first got me into cooking. Not only cooking but cooking for food allergies. She went through a lot of what I did so I loved reading her story.

Danielle plus Ina that is.

(and Giada) because my mom always has their shows on in the background during the day, so I have been watching their shows for a couple years now. I love that they have their own shows and cook for other people. I want that to be me some day! Danielle and Ina’s cookbooks were the first two I ever had thanks to my mom.

I would also want to interview Kayla Itsines.

I’ve mentioned her before because of her workout guides that I have done in the past. I look up to her so much in the health and fitness industry! Y’all need to follow her on Instagram and look at her website! It’s so positive and uplifting (that’s a running theme for me, obviously). She’s amazing.

I would have to bring on some of my favorite authors. I mean, the people that got me to enjoy reading have to get other people to enjoy reading too. I just know it.

And then I would of course have to interview Kate Middleton so I could figure out how we are related already!!!!!! It’s killing me!

Hoda and KLG, Ellen, Shay, Candace, Danielle, Ina, Giada, Ben, Kayla, Kate…anyone. Call me. I want to be friends. So that I can interview you. When I get my own talk show remember you were the first ones on my list!!!!

Yes that was a pathetic beg. No I am not ashamed.

So that’s just the start of my show. Just to get it up and running you know 😉 So, tell me, would we have the same people on our show??? That’ll help me figure out who is going to co-host with me. Haha!

Don’t forget that tomorrow is Bookworm Wednesday!

Blog about your reads this past month and then link up with Katie and I!

In case you missed any of my S&T Tuesdays for 2016:

Introduction
Momfessional Moments (I didn’t participate)
How To Win My Heart
Favorite Pinterest Pins (This was during my blog break)
My Hometown
My life’s mix tape (This was during spring break when I had guest bloggers)

And here are all my 2015 Show and Tell posts.

Happy Tuesday!

2016 Bucket List Check-In!

Being that it’s the first Monday of April…holy cow…and 2016 is 1/4 of the way done….holy cow…I thought today would be the perfect time to do a little check-in on my new years resolutions.

Like I said in my introduction post earlier this year, I decided to make a 2016 Bucket List. Here’s what I came up with:

This year, i’m focusing on fitness.

Physical:

*Be able to look at myself in the mirror and be proud of what I see. Still working on this one…I have definitely improved in this area, but I wouldn’t say that i’m where I want to be yet.
*Get my group exercise certification. This is still a thought right now…I am doing a lot of research and could potentially be going down this route soon.
*Work out 5 times/week no matter what is going on. I’ve done this goal since the first week of January! My spring break week I only got 4 workouts in because we were at my grandpa’s and there’s no gym close so I’m not going to stress about that.
*Finally get a gym membership. Complete! January 3rd I officially became a member!

This year, i’m focusing on contentment.

Spiritual:

*Go on a mission trip. Currently praying about this opportunity.
*Spend each morning in Quiet Time. I’ve done awful about this goal. I’m trying to be better about this but most of the time I just forget. If you have recommendations for this…do share!
*Join a small group. I participated in Online Bible Study, I have my group of girls on Wednesday night, and I might be going to home group with them on Mondays.

This year, i’m focusing on independence.

Social:

*Graduate college. August, August, August!
*Find a (full-time) job. Looking…
*Say yes this year. I truly think I could be better about this. I’ve been working on it, though.

This year, i’m focusing on happiness.

Mental:

*Do something i’m uncomfortable with. I want to do something that’s going to push me mentally and I can’t say I have done that yet.
*Find happiness with something. You know, I think I am getting here… 😀
*Be in my room at 10:30PM. Nope, not always. BUT I have been better than normal! I honestly forgot about this one though so I need to be more conscientious about it.
*Work on being satisfied. This will always be a work in progress. I think a lot of my goals are going hand-in-hand this year, and they will all take time.

So that’s been my 2016 so far. How have YOU been doing?!

Friday Favorites: Favorite Gluten Free Products

Well, 2 weeks ago I did a Friday Favorites post on my FAVORITE lactose free products. And seeing as I can’t have lactose or gluten, I knew it was only right to do one for gluten free products.

Gluten free products are becoming SO POPULAR now days. I mean there’s a gluten free section in just about every grocery store that you go into. I guarantee you that I have tried every brand of every product. I’ve been on the hunt for gluten free products for about 4 years now (back when it wasn’t as popular). But the ones I have listed below are my FAVORITES. Trust me, you’ll want to listen. Don’t waste your time and money like I have 😉

*Now all of these items are when i’m not doing my sugar detox just FYI*

Tips for gluten free eating:

1. Read labels because gluten is in the most random of things…think: soy sauce, spices, “cream of” soups. (More to come on that.)
2. No flour or wheat. However, rice flour and corn flour are okay. This can get tricky.
3. No fried foods as it’s usually fried in flour.
4. Don’t eat gluten free unless you have to and want to give up gluten for good!! There’s no going back and forth…I learned the hard way.
5. You’ll hear me say it 3095325 times, always go popular name brands. They’re usually the best.

Bread

Bread was BY FAR the hardest thing when it came to gluten free eating. Gluten is the protein found in flour and wheat, so it basically the elastic that holds it together. Without gluten you have bread that falls apart. I cannot tell you how many times I have made some bread and it’s fallen apart in my hands or it’s been too dry to even eat. This loaf of bread below will change your life.

This bread is everything. I get the whole grain, but they are both delicious.

A turkey melt, a grilled cheese, with peanut butter and banana, or with egg and avocado in the morning…it doesn’t matter. You will love this bread and I would place my life on that one 😉

Cornbread

Truly I haven’t found a cornbread mix that I haven’t liked, but right now we only get Aldi’s (you’ll see this as a running theme during this post).

And we eat it like it’s dessert. Seriously, I have to hide it or i’ll eat half in one sitting.

This is my second option (and Glutino is good too).

Pasta

I haven’t purchased any boxed pasta that is bad, so really I would just say to go with your favorite pasta brand. We get this one and Barilla a lot. Luckily, most brands are making their own gluten free!

I honestly don’t buy boxed pasta, I usually just eat whatever we are having minus the pasta. When I want the feel of pasta I usually get these tofu noodles, spaghetti squash, or some zucchini and make zoodles.

Crusts/Baking

There are a lot of restaurants that are now making gluten free pizza crusts. My three FAVORITES are from:

Happy Joes
Papa Murphy’s
Pie Five

If I ever want to make some of my own gluten free crust, Pillsbury’s thin crust is so delicious. And crispy. And when I want pizza crust, I don’t want it soft!

Another frozen crust I like to keep in my freezer if i’m wanting pizza is from unrefined bakery. It’s super simple, too!

They also make muffins (that my mom got me for my birthday a couple years ago) and I really liked it.

Betty Crocker makes some amazing mixes. And Pillsbury, too. Stay with those name brands people (i’ll keep repeating that!).

Snacks

Now I don’t buy packaged goods, but on occasion I do and when I do…these are the ones I get.

Larabars are awesome. They’re made from natural ingredients and are therefore very healthy for you. This is one packaged good that I always have on hand.

Nuts, raisins, trailmix, etc. is all naturally gluten free. This is why I don’t understand why people always ask me what I can eat. There’s so many foods that are naturally gluten free that I can always find something. It’s just usually not the processed and fried foods most are used to.

Walmart’s brand is our FAVORITE pretzels. My mom eats these over regular pretzels just because she liked them better. They’re so much more crunchy!! (YAY G-FREE). We’re also a fan of Aldi’s brand and Glutino.

These are without a doubt the best gluten free crackers. There are so many kinds that you can purchase, but honestly just stick with these!

And as a kid I would put away peanut butter crackers like no other. Well, when I found out the company who makes them finally came out with a gluten free brand I was all about it.

They’re crunchy too. One thing i’ve really noticed with gluten free products that are packaged is that they’re way more crunchy than normal products. I don’t even remember what normal tastes like anymore.

Breakfast

I mean…eggo makes waffles. Don’t try anything else, just get these!

Rice and corn are your best friends, gluten-freers. And now Chex (and Cheerios) are gluten free! Woohoo!

Many mornings I love an english muffin. And when I do, it’s got to be Glutino’s. And burnt…because who eats their bread and english muffins not burned??? #gimmeallthecrunch

Randoms…

I use oats in many of my recipes and I always go with Bob’s.

I’m not a big alcohol drinker, so this one isn’t a big deal for me. If you’re gluten intolerant and you like beer, this is the best brand that I have had so far.

You can find cookies in any gluten free section grocery stores. Kylie sent me these cookies and they were super crunchy and chocolatey…what more could you want? 😉

Before I started making my own chicken tenders I found out that Tyson started on gluten free too. If I could have one meal for the rest of my life it would be chicken tenders and sweet potato fries. SO THIS IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE.

Watch out for…

Cream of Mushroom has gluten in it. Why? I do not know. I haven’t been able to try this because I can’t have the cream, but it’s the only one on the market, so I would suggest it to  those who can have the cream.

Seasonings! What?! Yes, make sure these read gluten free too!

If you didn’t already gather, my favorite brand right now is Aldi’s. Mainly because it’s cheap but they’ve also got good product. If you have to eat gluten free you know that it is expensive. Any money you can save is such a help.

If you’re new to gluten free…go straight to the gluten free aisle while you’re still learning to read labels. And then, if you need any help, be sure to ask me! I’ve become an expert by now 😉

OKAY FELLOW G-FREERS….how’d I do. You agree or disagree with my finds?!

Life Lately

Once a month I should go through and do a life lately post. I take too many pictures to not do one of these posts often. 😉

Since we left off at building out ping pong table, I thought we should go ahead and start with the ping pong table. It is finished! And we have been loving it! Excuse our garage…we’re preparing to be on the next season of Hoarders.

In February, the parents went to Arizona to celebrate their anniversary coming up in a couple of weeks. At night everyone at the hotel they stayed at would surround this pit and make some kind of sage pillow-like thing that you throw in the fire after you pray over them and I guess it comes true? I’m not exactly sure…

…but they were able to bring them home and we now have a running joke about who is in the prayer circle. You can see in this random picture the little cloth pillows in this picture. There’s 6, one for each of us. We all vote to keep dad in there 24/7, ha!

While they were gone I made this snickers protein shake. YES.

And I have been known to create my own “hot yoga” with a space heater, my yoga mat, and a yoga DVD. 😉 #poorcollegestudentproblems

My Sunday mornings are still spent with this little squirt!

And one February weekend was with these cutie girls at our high school’s Church retreat.

I took you through a day in my life!

And i’ve still been going to my gym about 5-6 times a week. Our gym just got a new class called BootyBarre. Have you heard of it or tried it?!

And with my gym comes the sauna. If you don’t already use the sauna at your gym, do it!! I love mine.

And here are a couple reasons why…

Our weather is getting back to “normal Texas weather” so much so that i’ve been able to lay out.

I also showed you some of my favorite, must have products! Trust me, you need them all.

I still spend a lot of time in the kitchen creating and of course eating my creations. These Banana Almond Waffles are deeeellliisshhhh.

Of course, we can’t forget about my spring break trip to Omaha and Iowa.

On Sunday we celebrated Easter (minus a family member). Morgan was on spring break to the Gulf Shores.

And we all enjoyed our Easter lunch without her. Oops 😉 We had so much more but this was all I could eat. Hello kale salad that I mentioned yesterday!!

On Tuesday morning I had a super early dentist appointment (think 8:00AM) so on my way back I wanted Starbucks. While sitting in the drive-through I called my dad and asked what he wanted. I brought our coffees to his office while we sat and chatted for a little while.

Let’s make a deal to work on my cheesy smile, okay???

I’ve been getting back into the hang of walking again. I stopped during the winter months and because I got a membership at my gym. I decided i’m going to try to do my 45 minute walk once a week again. Especially because I can take a book and read while i’m at it.

And brother’s baseball season is in full swing! This is the first game that i’ve been able to go to this year, which is a surprise for me. Here’s to making some more of them soon.

Rick is on varsity this year, which is totally cool because I was always so excited for these days to come. I used to keep book for the varsity coach my senior year so I’m really close with him. I’m telling y’all, I love me some baseball.

That’s where life has taken us lately. Come back tomorrow for my favorite gluten free products!