Fun Finds Friday....

 

 

While I was out and about this weekend, I snapped some pictures of some more fun finds!!

 



Target

Disposable placemats

8/$1

Target

Nate Berkus Mirror

On clearance for $21.... really considering a DIY

Target

Cableknit Pillows

$25

How clever is this!

Target

Book WITH pajamas

$20

They had girls, boys, and Christmas sets

Had to throw in this adorable set.

Target

Target

Doesn't this sound delicious!!!



 

 

Horrible Picture-- my apologies

Target

Pretty clever use of the O in Love...

$17 

Remember my love for burlap??? Read about it HERE.

I found wired burlap at Wal-Mart this week!

$6 a roll in three colors 

Wal-Mart

$5

REALLY??? Seasonal contact cases??? The collegiate ones are kinda cute...but seasonal??

Wal-Mart

One giant Rice Krispies Treat.... Said it was cut into 16 bars... pretty cool!

I believe it was $10?

Dollar General

Red "Burlap" Ribbon

$2 Roll

Just had to share the cover of LIFE...

Love me some John Lennon :)

 

Do you have any fun finds to share???

Until Next Time.....

Krista

 

 

PS--- Say some prayers for my running group! Tomorrow is marathon day!!!

Favorite Foods...

Since training for a marathon and sticking to "eating clean in 2013" I've really had to find new foods that I like and can snack on during the day or pack for my lunch.

These are not all perfectly clean or organic, but they are definitely better choices than a lot of things..

Wheat Thins--- I eat these with cottage cheese a lot for lunch.

Pretzel Crisps--- addicting and delicious!

String or Colby Cheese Sticks

Simply Balanced Fruit Strips-- No Preservatives, No Artificial Colors, No Artificial Flavors

Nut-rition--- almonds, cashews, macademias

Cascadian Farms Organic Granola Bar--- SO much better than any other brand

Nature's Path Organic Toaster Pastry--- tastes like how I remember Pop-Tarts tasting as a kid

Oikos Greek Yogurt--- the only Greek I've tried, but I think it's delicious!

 

What are your favorite snacks? I'm always looking for something new!

Until Next Time...

Krista

Eating Clean(ish) in 2013

Oh my goodness... I'm on Insanity Round II.... and I cannot begin to tell you how much more stamina I have this time around, and I place it partially on how much better I am eating!

Our 'Eating Clean(ish) in 2013' is going well...(I came up with that name yesterday....what do ya think? Corny?? Perfect!)    but let's be honest. I'm not a completely Clean Eater... and I probably never will be... I love mexican food, ice cream and chocolate just like everyone else and I'm not ready to give it up......... but I can live with that fun stuff in my diet, if it's in moderation and added to clean-ish meals....

Here's what I've learned in the few weeks that I've doing this....

1) Be honest with yourself. Don't buy crap food you're not willing to try or eat. Don't even pin, print or flag the recipe if you question your ability and desire to eat it. Don't waste the time and money.

2. Look at the ingredients. Here are some helpful hints.....
---If the 'ingredients list' consists of more than 5 ingredients and you cannot pronounce (or buy) the ingredients....don't get it!
---If it came from a plant.... eat it. If it's made IN a plant (factory) don't get it...
---If it has a commercial, don't get it.
---Think about if you would fill your belly with the item you're contemplating (that package of cookies, maybe??) If you wouldn't want to eat that and only that for a day, put it back.
---If your food can go bad, it's good for you. If doesn't go bad, it's bad for you.

3. Meal Plan. Just going to the store and buying fruits, vegetables and grains will cost you a lot of money and it stinks to just pitch them when they're rotten. Think about your schedule for the week, plan out your meals and buy the foods only for those meals and snacks.

4. Eat more than 3 times a day. Clean(ish) meals don't fill you up quite like Midwest meals (complete with gravy, cheese, sauce, etc) do and you're going to feel hungry more often.... Eating clean websites suggest eating 6 times a day to help with calorie intake and metabolism, but heck... I just eat more often because I'm hungrier eating these kinds of meals. Keep snacks with you! Onto number 5....

5. Make your own pre-packaged snacks. Buy containers of fruit, veggies, grains, etc and baggy (that is SO a verb!) them into snack size servings. Keep them together in a "snack spot." You're much more likely to choose a healthy snack if it's as convenient as a candy bar or bag of cookies. I do this every time that I come home from the store when my adrenaline is still pumping and the high hasn't worn down from the awesome food that I bought.

6. Do all your work in one night. Same as the snacks--- clean, chop and package food for the week in one evening. If you make smoothies, prepackage the fruit and freeze so it's quick and easy to grab. If you do crock-pot meals, baggy all the ingredients and freeze until you're ready to throw it in the crock-pot. I find it helpful just to clean and vegetables so that they are easy to grab for a snack or side dish.

7. Shop the perimeter of the store. Unless you're buying household items, seasonings or grains, stay to the perimeter of your grocery section. You'll find most of what you need out there... and won't be tempted to buy junk.  This is a huge one for me.... temptation makes it's hard!

8. There are a lot of people that eat 'clean(ish).' I'm not the only one. I was afraid I would seem weird for wanting to cut out parts of my diet but leave others (like eating out) but there are a lot of people in this world doing the same thing... Pinterest is full of "Eating Clean(ish)" boards that include ideas for incorporating grains, fruits and vegetables in with other foods. I can still use some 'store-bought' ingredients to make a healthier dish. I don't have to be a Martha Stewart or Paula Deen in the kitchen and know how to make every ingredient from scratch. It's doesn't all have to organic, natural and whole. I CAN clean up some areas and live with moderation of other things that I enjoy. I don't have to be a "hippie" to do this. I can make trade-offs and still be eating better. I love salads, but I love french or ranch dressings.....I've tried other dressings and they just don't satisfy me, but I've decided that it is better to indulge in the creamy dressing if it means eating more vegetables.

9. It's not as hard or gross as you may think. When I first started, I felt as though it would be a punishment for me... but it's really not been. My husband was very concerned about what this would change for him... and after a very healthy (and clean) meal, I asked what he thought. He said, "That was....whatever you call it...clean? That was really good!" Even men like it! :) When I started, I often ordered salads as sides, chicken for the main course and a fruit cup for dessert....but I'm learning to make better choices within what I already knew as 'healthy.' Chicken covered in cheese and bacon... yeah, not the best choice. Never ordering vegetables....bad. Processed foods... superbad. It's all about making yourself aware of what you're eating... what's in it, how it's made, and what it does for your body. 

10. There are so many resources for Eating Clean and Eating Clean(ish). Pinterest of course is my favorite because they are all in one spot.


If you're considering eating clean, I highly recommend it. It's really not that hard and it's definitely not a punishment. Feel free to follow me on my Pinterest board for Eating Clean(ish) or comment any questions you might have. I'm new to this, too.. so we can learn together! : )

Hold onto your hat!!!

Are you ready for this?!??!

My tree and decorations are put away!!

I spent parts of Friday, Saturday and Sunday taking things down and put away.

It wasn't emotionally easy and I cried several times.... especially when it came time to put away the carousel that I have of hers.... but I made it. It's all done. Life in our house is returning to normal, so it seems.

I still have classroom junk (lower left of the picture) in my living room that I've not gotten to yet,

but I'll get to it... eventually.

In other news... We spent time with grandma's side family over the weekend. We had lunch and then visited for a few hours. It's always nice to be with family. There's three kiddos all about four months apart in that side and they're growing up so fast! One of cousin's little girls really took a liking to me (that's a phrase Grandma would use!) and I loved every minute of it. I took her on walks through the restaurant to play and it just made me that much more excited for the niece coming this summer!

During the afternoon.... someone noticed this outside the window..

It stayed for a long time.

Many of us have been seeing Cardinals since Grandma passed away...

so I think she just wanted to visit that day, too. 

As for me and the new eating plans... things are going well! I've been eating salads, greek yogurt, whole wheat bagel thins, grilled chicken and mixed vegetables. Last night we had grilled chicken on the George Foreman with Mrs. Dash on it, mixed veggies with dip, and baked potato slices.It was pretty good.

I've decided that I'm eating "clean-ish." I still like ranch dressing and BBQ sauce, cheese and salt, lunch meat and some junk every once in a while... but I'm adding so much more to my diet to make it more balanced....and I'm following my rule of moderation better. I've made it almost two weeks with a treat tea (still occassionally with meals). 

I just keep remembering: You cannot out-exercise a bad diet!

I cleaned out the cabinets...

and really realized how much junk we have around here. Luckily, some of it was expired, some I gave to Cam to eat without me (lunch and what-not) and others I made plans to eat soon to get out of cabinets, but with other choices added with it. I cannot afford to clean out all the junk and start over, but I can make healthier choices with what I have---by mixing in veggies or changes the plans for how to use it.

I spent last night on Pinterest finding more "eating clean-ish" recipes and meal ideas.... 

In the near future, I want to try:

Quinoa Crusted Chicken

Chicken Veggie Wraps

Turkey and Spinach Meatballs

Chicken and brocolli alfredo

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Cheesey Quinoa

Cheesey Cauliflower

Buffalo Cauliflower

Grilled Asparagus

Veggie Pasta Salad with Mozzarela

Mashed Cauliflower

Cauliflower breadsticks and pizza crust

Zucchini Pumpkin Bread

Fruit Salad

Banana Slices with Cinnamon and Honey

Banana Oat Muffins

Veggie Muffins

Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins

Protein Shakes

Confession---- I have no idea where to find Quinoa or what it tastes like, but I'm willing to take a chance..

Here's one frustration that I've found with all of this----  you can find coupons galore for all the JUNK in the world.... but where's a coupon for bananas, oatmeal or spinach!?!? No where. exactly. I've found a few for soy milks or greek yogurts, but neither have been on what I use.... and that's only two things that I've started using. More coupons on good food would be nice!

*****Unfortunately, Pinterest changed its format and the embedded pins will no longer appear*****

Here's some pins I found while doing my searching and pinning... Isn't Pinterest just the best?!?

Source: prettyfitbody.tumblr.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: muffintop-less.tumblr.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: livinfitlife.tumblr.com via Krista on Pinterest

Source: instagr.am via Krista on Pinterest

And this is one of my favorite sites so far:

The Gracious Pantry

Ok... Any of you clean eaters??? What tips do you have for a newbie??

Any healthy recipes anyone wants to share for this poor girl that's learning to cook??

Have a great Monday! I'm heading out for a run and then Zumba later!

Until Next Time!
Krista

Breaking News...

Hey Hey Hey! It's February 21 and I have some huge news.....Are you ready for this????

My Christmas decorations are finally being taken down!!! (Did you think that I was going to tell you we were having a baby??? haha...fooled ya! No baby here! I need a job first!)  I was off work today and after a rather lazy morning filled with Pinterest and blogs... I attacked my house and the mess of what was still left of Christmas... It's no where close to being done, but it's getting there. The tree is still standing, covered in lights, and there's miscellaneous junk all over the floor that will need to find a home again.... but it's getting closer to being done! It's not my normal packing style, but I'm so over it this year that I don't care. I usually inventory all of my boxes---sorted by color and labeled with the list of contents.... This year, it's just getting stuffed in boxes, mixed with other colors and it's all lucky to be in a container. I'm so over it. I'm ready to start living in the present.

Speaking of which, this week, I've felt the most like myself than I have in the last 6 weeks. I dream of grandma frequently, have short outbursts of crying many times a week, and miss her every day....but I'm starting to feel human again. I'm not having to fix the tense of my sentences about her as much any more... The past tense comes out more fluently now....  And I finally bought and put up a 2013 calendar. It's not much easier on my heart yet, but my head is accepting it better. When we are together as a family, there's just a piece missing. A huge piece. Our rock.....but now she's our angel. :)




In other news, I've been trying to clean up our diet, after reading and studying about eating clean, I've decided that going completely clean is not going to be realistic to our lifestyles right now. I don't know how to cook, we aren't completely fond of many vegetables, we don't get to eat dinner together much because of Cam's work schedule, and we enjoy some take out occassionally.... BUT....eating better is definitely going to happen! I studied some more before my first "eating clean" grocery shopping trip and had some what of a game plan. I want to make subtle changes to our diet, a little at a time, so that we adjust to it gradual instead of doing it for a week, hating it and giving up on it.... I plan to try a few different things a week, to be budget friendly.

I bought skinless/boness chicken (this is the kind of chicken we already bought, I just got more of it), multigrain tortilla chips, lettuce, mixed raw veggies, soft wraps, turkey, Mrs. Dash original, Cajun chicken, bananas, Greek yogurt, and spray olive oil.   Nothing boxed, nothing too processed (I know, lunch meat isn't that good for you...) and nothing that's made in the microwave. I also bought Vanilla Silk (SO much better than Original---not sure why it's not in the picture??) and a jar of salsa....(the bag ripped as I was getting it out of the car and the jar broke....but it has been replaced!)

That night, I had a chicken, bacon, ranch wrap with cheese and lettuce (see, small changes... I still want bacon, lettuce and ranch, so I did it in small quantities) with raw veggies for my dinner. It's confirmed that I hate brocolli as much as I thought I did.... It tastes like I'm eating a leaf, even with ranch to dip it in. Not sure I'll learn to love that one....

Today, I had a salad with cajun chicken mixed into it and greek yogurt. I had Oikos Traditional Strawberry.....and it's actually very good. I'm picky about yogurt and usually only eat the custard style, but this is the consistency of pudding with just tiny chunks of fruit, so I can handle it.

A few changes that I'm looking at making are: mixing veggies into dishes like mac & cheese, pasta, meatloaf, Hamburger Helper (call us crazy, but we could live on that stuff!), making some smoothies with veggies mixed in, eating some stir fry meals, making our own hamburger helper instead of store bought, utilizing our George Foreman grill to grill some foods like asparagus and chicken, and trying foods like mashed cauliflower or cauliflower crust pizza... Like I said, I'm looking for little changes to make the transition.

Here's another big one--- I haven't made a special trip to McD's for a tea since last Tuesday! I've had tea with meals, but not just to treat myself... and ya know what....I'm surviving!  I'm investing the money that I'm saving from not getting a tea every day into going to Zumba once a week!

I hope your week is going well and you're not getting the ice like we are here in the midwest!
Until Next Time...
Krista