Today felt like the first day of getting back into the swing of things for me.

Food Stuff

I enjoyed my first home-cooked breakfast – something I’ve been craving with this colder weather – OATMEAL!

Thanks to the sale over at Earthfare on organic canned pumpkin (3 for $5!), I had plenty in my pantry to cook up a nice bowl of Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal.

Pre-cooking ingredients:

• 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 heaping tbsp canned organic pumpkin (probably more like 1/4 cups worth)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (yea, it came out kind of fast…I didn’t mean to put so much in)

Microwaved 1 minute, stirred, 1 minute again

On top:

• flaxseed (because I forgot this was easily accessible in my freezer)
• pepitas (pumpkin seeds – also in the freezer)

The oatmeal was very enjoyable and welcomed after eating out so much day after day. It’s amazing how much you missed home-cooked food when you can’t have it!

I had a lovely lunch packed for work today, but realized when I checked my work calendar that I had a one-on-one lunch with my co-worker. Doh! I decided to enjoy my “lunch” for “dinner” so I wouldn’t waste the food.

We had a lovely Thai lunch, but I didn’t want to take a photo of my food in front of him, so no food photos…sorry! I got the Pud See-Ew with chicken and it was awesome! I also couldn’t resist a Thai tea…LOVE that stuff!

I carbed up for my workout with some Kashi Toasted Asiago TLC crackers and also had some hot green tea with sugar (I need to get some honey to keep at work!)

An hour later, I had an Organic Food Bar (won on Twitter) in Chocolate Coconut...they are SO-SO GOOD! I will be sad when my box is gone, but at least I know where to get more!

I changed into my workout clothes for Zumba when I was done with work. I changed in the restrooms at the office just before taking off for class. I totally forgot I had my neon green pants packed in my zumba tote. As I changed, I realized I probably should have planned to change into them somewhere else. The black ones are not nearly as noticeable and one doesn’t really want to be seen in GREEN NEON PANTS at the office! I was there sort of late so I figured chances were good I wouldn’t see too many people.

As I left the restroom, I hoped if I walked fast enough that no one at all would see me. Guess who happened to walk by just as I walked down the hall? Yeaaaaa…the main big boss who manages the program I work under. I was mortified! I didn’t want to see anyone and of course it would be our client-boss that I ran into! He said he liked my pants and asked if I was a skier. Said they looked like ski pants. I looked down at the embroidery and meekly explained that they were “zumba” pants before scurrying away. I’m not sure he knows what zumba. Either way, I hope my flashy green pants were too much for the office…even after “work hours” and off the clock.

I did two back to back workout classes tonight. I even got some flourescent bracelets to wear during class from one of the class participants daughters (the daughter is also a participant and oh-so-cute). They matched my outfit – neon pink and green…oh yea!

Once I got home from zumba, I downed an Aria mini-protein shake (a half serving – just one scoop mixed with water) and did some stretching.

After a quick shower, it was time for “dinner” (the “lunch” I packed but couldn’t eat because of a previously scheduled lunch meeting).

I had some Earthfare rotisserie chicken salad on extra fiber Arnold’s bread…

…and some Live Green Salad also from Earthfare.

The sammie was pretty good, though I did miss my Great Harvest bread this week. I thought this Arnold’s bread was a pretty good substitute though. The chicken salad was definitely tasty and the chicken was nice and tender.

I was really impressed with the Live Green salad. I didn’t know what to expect, but the flavors were nice and simple yet tasty and the ingredients seemed nice and healthy.

Dinner overall seemed pretty healthy, which is good because I feel like I need a cleansing after the last couple days straight of eating out.

I did manage to make some room for dessert – the last third of my Earthfare Ginger Molasses cookie and some skim milk.

The cookie was good…I still like my Earthfare whole wheat chocolate chip cookies the best, though!

House Stuff

Oh and check out my Glade candle in the background. Yep, that’s Glah-day! Hubby and I picked up a couple of their seasonal candles to try to get rid of the new paint and refinished hardwoods smell floating around the house.

We’re trying a couple things to try to get rid of the new paint/polyurethane smell in the house:

• opening the windows, weather permitting (and the windows that aren’t shut, that is)
• turning the fan on the AC/heat system
• burning candles
• and lastly, I read about this online – putting mugs of vinegar out in some of the rooms.

I’m trying the vinegar trick in 3 rooms to start, so we’ll see how this works. I’m thinking the windows and fan will be the most effective solutions, but we’ll see.

We still have TONS of work to do in the house, but we’re just taking things one day and one project at a time. As the saying goes: “Life’s a journey, not a destination.” Right?

Quote Time!

I do have an inspirational quote (make that a couple) for you guys today. I found this shared on a blog post in my Google Reader. Do you ever have days when you feel like for all the hard work you’re putting into something, you’re not seeing the results you want? Then, you watch as others seem to have success fall into their laps or at least come to fruition? You’re happy for them but sometimes their success can make you feel like somewhat of a…failure. I’m here to say that you’re not a failure.

You’re just on a different path and you will have your own successes on your own journey…

“Never compare your journey with someone else’s. It’s a marathon with no finish line. Someone else may start out faster than you, may seem to progress more quickly than you, but every runner has his own pace. Your journey is your journey, not a competition. You will never “arrive”. No one ever does.” ~PhotoDino

Afterall…

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” ~Thomas Alva Edison

Remember… (this is one of my faves)

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” ~Henry David Thoreau

I couldn’t wait to dig into my Navitas Naturals goodie-samples they gave me…

…so I promptly cooked up a small bowl of oatmeal this AM to serve as a base for my raw chocolate nibs.

I didn’t really know what to expect from the Cacao Power. Would it be chewy? Soft? Sweet? They reminded me a lot of coffee beans in texture and slightly similar in taste, but with a more mocha-y flavor. I especially liked when the almost melted into my oatmeal and became ever-so-slightly tender. I thought they made for an awesome addition to my bowl of oats and hope to come up with some more creative concoctions.

I’ve been feeling slightly blah yet inspired after my “down time” yesterday.

To keep the positive vibes flowing, I decided to post some inspirational quotes in my cube at work.

I posted some from yesterday’s blog post and a couple new ones:

“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity.” ~Louis Pasteur

“Some give up their designs when they have almost reach the goal; while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.” ~Herodotus

After a long day including 5 hours of conference calls, I decided to head over to our local farmers market.

I ended up buying almost everything for the trip from the first table. This guy had so many lovely greens, I had a hard time deciding on what to buy.

I almost got some of this beautiful bok choy.

I did end up getting some of this fresh basil – some of the last of the season. I’ve got to get my basil while the getting’s good!

My goodies: spinach, kohlrabi, arugula (got this 1/4 bag for free from the vendor since he didn’t have a full bag’s worth to sell), basil, and a chocolate chip cookie to split with hubby.

Ahh…I love going to this farmer’s market. It’s so nice to meet the people who grow and create the food I’m eating, plus it’s nice to support our local farmers.

I came home with my freshly picked veggies AND to a box at my front door with an Organic Food Bar label.

Inside – the box of Raw Organic Food Bars in Chocolate Coconut I won on Twitter!

I wanted to dig into one of these immediately, but I knew I needed to save room for dinner (and that cookie). I probably won’t be able to resist tomorrow! I love these bars!

Check out @organicfoodbar on twitter

I decided to use my freshly picked basil and spinach to make a spinach-quasi-pesto-shrimp dish.

I didn’t have most of the ingredients I needed to make a “true pesto” so I just used my basil, some organic garlic, some extra virgin olive oil, and cashews. Yup…I totally forgot to buy pine nuts at the grocery store, but I did have some cashews in the freezer, so I decided they’d do. If I had just had some hard parmesan cheese, I think I could call tonight’s sauce “pesto”, but instead, I’ll call it “quasi pesto.”

spinach-quasi-pesto-shrimp dish

Great Harvest Bread Company Honey Whole Wheat toast with real butter (Hubby picked this freshly baked loaf up today) – so fresh, so good!

Round #1 (1/2 the toast is for hubby)

Round #2 (1/2 toast for hubby encore)

Hubby and I split the cookie for dessert, and I had some skim milk to go with my half.

Check out Mr. Happy Face!

Having a hard time lately with a goal or aspiration? Remember, when you feel defeated and like quitting, go harder than you went before! Never give up! I’m going to work on a post about dealing with “down times” and feeling defeated…hopefully the things that work for me will help you out, too!

I leave you with one last inspirational quote:

“Life’s real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up.” ~Unknown

Need more inspiration? Dr Weil says playing outside will help you re-gain focus! Click for article. Hmm…maybe it’s time I took a nature walk?

I was supposed to have today off for a work holiday, but since my client’s office was open, I decided to save my day off for a day closer to the big move.

As usual for Mondays, I was running a bit on the late side, so I just toasted up some Great Harvest Dakota bread and slapped some Barney Butter on it.

I also added a light sprinkling of chia seeds and had some Fresh Market coffee to drink.

Work was long today. I forgot I had a 5:30-6:30pm conference call till halfway through the day.

Luckily, I came prepared with leftovers from last night’s dinner (I LOVE the way tofu re-heats) and the last of my Stonyfield Organic OIkos Vanilla Greek Yogurt.

I topped the yogurt with some Bear Naked Fruit + Nut Granola and added a light drizzle of honey.

During my late conference call, I grabbed a Clif Kid Zbar in Blueberry to fuel up for Zumba.

After work, I made my way to class. My friend was teaching her very first class and I HAD to be there to support her. Of course, she did an AMAZING job and everyone had so much fun!

For some reason, I wasn’t very hungry after class. Maybe it was because of the protein shake I downed just after class ended? I ended up making a late dinner around 10:30 pm! (I usually try to eat before 9pm when possible – I used to have a late night snacking problem).

I pressed and got some diced tofu marinating while I showered and got comfy.

I sauteed the tofu instead of baking (shorter cooking time)

I steamed some organic broccoli in the microwave. Add cut broccoli in a bowl, add a couple tbsp water, cover, zap for 2-21/2 minutes. Donzo!

I sauteed everything together with a tad extra soy sauce…

…and served it over some Kashi 7 Grain pilaf…

…like so. It was really good and I even have leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Never Accept Defeat

I think any time you have a lot of hopes and dreams and are always working towards them, you’re going to hit some low points. While I’d like to keep this blog all rainbows and sunshine, I think being real is good, too. And guys, I’m feeling a low point today. Do you ever push and push and push yourself and work so hard towards a goal (or maybe a couple goals) but always seem to be just out of reach of it (them)? Lately, I’ve felt a bit like I’m treading water – swimming really hard but not getting anywhere. After today, I felt…simply…defeated. I may have even cried a little.

(I know…break out the finger-sized violins now)

And while low points stink, I think they are totally necessary for balance. When you experience low points in a quest for something, when you finally get it, you appreciate it so much more. I think you learn from your failures and defeats. I think if you have the right attitude, you can learn that you grow from them. And, I think in the big picture, they are a good thing.

I found some quotes online I’d like to share in case anyone else would like some inspiration. Great quotes always refresh my will to succeed.

“Defeat should never be a source of discouragement but rather a fresh stimulus” -Robert South

“Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday.” -Wilma Rudolph

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” -Thomas Alva Edison

“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.” -Vince Lombardi

Remember that everyone falls once in awhile. You just have to be ready to pick yourself up and keep going. Get back up! Never accept defeat – no matter how small or great!

I leave you with one of my favorite success quotes:

“I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and a devotion to the things you want to see happen.” -Frank Lloyd Wright

Sorry for not posting yesterday, but I was up late getting ready for my craft show (Pink at the Plaza ). More on the craft show later…it’s been a long, but great day, but I’m tired and want to relax on the couch w/ hubby and Bailey for once.

7:30 am – Coffee – Content (5)

I started Friday off with the usual – FM Spring blend with soy creamer and sugar. I totally forgot to take a picture though – sorry!

8:30 am – Coffee + Bagel Day Friday – First Signs of Feeling Full (6)

When I got to work, I got more coffee – brewed – Chocolate Caramel Truffle…

…and, for Bagel Day Friday, I had a pumpernickel bagel with reduced fat shmear.

I also had some strawberries (about 5) – I should eat fruit more often for breakfast!

1:30 pm – Sandwich + Cheetos – First Signs of Feeling Full (6)

I had another sandwich and the other 1/2 of my small bag of Cheetos leftover from the previous day for lunch.

The sandwich was another repeat from earlier this week – Dakota bread, muenster cheese, turkey, organic baby spinach, and TJ’s chipotle hummus.

Mas water for lunch and to drink throughout the day. I love how this thing helps me both hydrate my body and be green.

4:00 pm – Clif Energy Bar – Content (5)

For my pre-Zumba snack, I had a Clif Energy Bar in Blueberry Crisp.

This flavor is still one of my faves.

5:45 pm – Zumba – Happy

I had zumba on Friday and it was, of course, a blast! We did a nice hour-long workout and the best part – my zumba pants came in so I got to dance in my official zumba pants (photos to come later).

And, check out this chick’s zumba shoes! Her husband drew the designs on them…don’t they look like they came this way from the factory? Amazing!

8:30 pm – PF Changs – Content (5)

Since I was frantically rushing around all night trying to get ready for my craft show and making last minute jewelry designs, Hubby was in charge of dinner.

He ended up being a total sweetheart and bringing home one of my faves: PF Changs. We started with the won ton soup.

I had to put my soy sauce in a little container because we have a huge bottle of it in our fridge and no small container to serve it in.

For dinner, we had Moo Goo Gai Pan, which although a bit bland is one of my faves (esp with some soy sauce on top). We also had brown rice and spicy green beans (so good!).

I pigged out a bit on dessert – 1 fortune cookie, the other 1/2 of my oatmeal chocolate chip cookie from yesterday, and a wee bit of 2% milk.

Since it’s been awhile since I last shared (click) a fortune with you guys and I think this one is extra fab, here’s my fortune: “The courage to be great lies deep within each of us.” I thought this was especially fitting as it was the perfect boost of encouragement I needed to remind me to be strong and think positive thoughts about my craft show that was fast approaching in less than 24 hours. Rain or shine, I reinforced the idea of making the most out of it and spent the remainder of the night planning and packing accordingly!

I have some photos from Pink at the Plaza to share, but I’ll have to blog those and today’s eats tomorrow…Im exhausted!

Whilst browsing the web this AM, I stumbed upon a great post over at Hangry Pants about lots of subjects, including a bit on yoga.  Heather talked about doing an audio yoga and how at one point, she was supposed to do a head stand during the class.  She said the instructor talked about how people say, "Oh I don't do that", which is what she was thinking and exactly what I think!  I hate headstands.  I never do them in yoga class.  I never do them.  Period.  (Did I just end that sentence with, basically, 3 periods?)  I like handstands…I would venture to say I love handstands, but headstands…not so much.

You know what the yoga instructor said about the whole no-headstand thing?  He asked, "Why set limits?"  It's a great question and an even better quote…one I think I will write down for inspiration.

The quote reminded me of one of my all-time faves, which goes, "What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?"  I love this quote because it really makes me think and puts things in perspective.  I wonder what I hold back from trying for fear of failure.  What do you think you would try to do if you knew you would succeed?